Show Me What I'm Missing
by SharonH
Summary: Just a job for the club. Protect some girls visiting from the Houston Chapter. But these girls weren't what they were expecting. And the way they looked at things were making the Club look at things a little different too.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: I am reworking The World They Made, but I was listening to music at work and this story, well several really, but this one mostly came to me. So I started it. I'm recycling some of my characters from other stories and putting them in different situations. I am not as familiar with SOA as I am with other fandoms, so I apologize if my characters are too OOC for you. The story is very, very AU. I might bash those you don't want bashed. Fingers crossed. A few notes. My main females are a band, so I will be using a ton of lyrics in this story. In the story, the band will have written them, but at the end of each chapter I will put song title and artist for each song used.

1) Valeria sounds like Lizzy Hale

2) Samantha sounds like Pink

3) Toni sounds like Hailey Williams

4) Kes sounds like Taylor Momsen.

Disclaimer: I do not own, or make profit from The Son of Anarchy, nor do I own or make profit from any of the music used in the story.

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Clay brought the gavel down with a snap, bringing Church into session. "First order of business… We're going to be doing a little light, hopefully light, protection to help out the Houston Chapter for a few months." All of the boys looked curious at this. "They're having some issues… well, they aren't having issues, but some of their girls are having issues, which means they're having issues."

The men nodded along, but a few did wonder why Houston wasn't protecting their girls themselves.

"A few of these girls have been getting harassed, and I guess that means they're all getting harassed. Bruno, President of SOAHTC doesn't think it will follow them here, but just in case." Clay puffed on his cigar. Some of these boys weren't going to like his next words. "These girls aren't like the majority of ours. There are four of them, maybe five. Early to mid-twenties. Only one of them is an Old Lady. But the others are NOT Crow-eaters, or Sweetbutts. NO ONE is to touch without express permission." Clay rubbed his forehead waiting for someone to go off.

Tig thought about that, "So we can still hit on 'em?"

"Who's coming to us?" Jax asked, ignoring Tig.

Clay decided to just address Jax's question. "Juice," he motioned to the younger man." Bruno gave me some names, I had Juice do a background."

The first picture they looked at was of a Son. Tall, and heavily muscled, the man had long black hair and a trimmed mustache and goatee. In the picture he was smoking a cigarette.

.

Happy and Kozik chuckled, and Happy spoke, "That's Sledge. Used to be up in Tacoma until about five years ago."

Clay nodded. "He and a Prospect will be coming with the girls. Prospect'll be driving. One of the girls is Sledge's Old Lady. I'm pretty sure we're only getting four girls. They're musicians, a band, and they're booked to play in a few of the summer music festivals. Bruno is hoping to use the time they're here to flush out their pest." The next picture came up of a slender, average height woman, pretty face, and vivid yellow-orange hair that hung just past her shoulders, and green eyes. "This is Sledge's Old Lady, Toni."

Juice elaborated, "Antoinette Marie Levy, she took Sledge's name. They got married about six months ago." Juice started reading, "They do all have a rapsheet."

"Do tell," Bobby asked.

"Toni has public intoxication, assault, vandalism, minor in possession of alcohol, car boosting."

Clay motioned and Juice pulled up the next picture. This girl was shorter than Toni by maybe an inch or so, her hair was cut short, into a faux-hawk. The top was dyed a light pink, and slowly faded into white. She had a tight little body, and it was easy to see she spent some time in the gym, but she was not overly muscled. Another pretty face, icy blue eyes stared at whoever was taking the picture. "Kes Montgomery," Clay murmured.

"Kes's criminal history is the same as Toni's with one more assault."

Clay looked at Juice and he once again brought up a new photo. She was taller than the other two, and she was African-American. She was stunning. Her long, dark brown hair was loose curls hanging to her lower back. The girl was a creamy mocha color and even in the photo, her dark eyes sparkled. "Samantha Miles," Juice stated.

"Third verse is the same as the last two really. Public intoxication, assault, minor in possession, car boosting, evading police, assault, vandalism, public indecency, resisting arrest and carrying a concealed weapon."

The last woman was tall, like Samantha, but there the similarities ended. The woman had tanned skin, and her hair was silvery blonde, hanging to her bottom in a straight, thick fall, and her bangs were cut bluntly at her eyebrows. Full lips were turned up into a mischievous smile in the picture. This one wasn't as slender as the other three, but her curves were luscious. "Valeria Winters," Clay finally said. "She and Sam are the two that the harassment started with."

Juice spoke, "She and Sam match up for rapsheets. Looks like the four, and another girl, a Michelle O'Halarin were involved in stealing the same car. All five were arrested for the same spot of vandalism. Sam and Val were arrested stripping down to swim in a fountain, while drunk, and the last assault and carrying were when she and Sam beat the shit out of Sam's then boyfriend and the girl they caught him with." Juice pulled up a two pictures side by side. The woman was beat to shit, and the man had needed stitches across his cheek. "He got some hits on them too. Sam took him out with a lamp to the face. They were carrying butterfly knives."

All the men were quiet as they looked at the pictures of not only their old friend, but of four very beautiful and obviously dangerous young women.

"That is so not fair, man," Tig whined.

Clay chuckled, "Bruno said they're interesting girls."

"When do they arrive?" Opie asked. "Donna would probably like to meet them." His wife struggled with the club. She loved the members, but she felt awkward with Gemma, probably because of her horrible relationship with her own mother, and the only other younger women were Crow-eaters and Sweetbutts.

"Tomorrow," Clay responded. "This one should be an easy one, hopefully."

Both Clay and Jax hid their smiles at the disappointed looks on Happy and Tig's faces. The boys did like a bit of violence.

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Gemma frowned. Guests coming, Doctor Bitch back in town, and Abel fighting for his little life. She could have really done without Doctor Bitch and the guests. She just didn't want to deal with a bunch of helpless twits, and unfortunately, that's what most of these girls that involved themselves in the Club were. Bruno had told Clay these girls were different, but she just knew that when they saw her boys they would become bitches in heat.

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Val was sprawled across one of the couches in the bus. She was so bored. She thought Kes was sleeping, Sam was working on a guitar riff, and she had a feeling that somewhere, Sledge and Toni were enjoying some 'personal' time…. Immensely. Val smiled. Sledge was the best thing to happen to Toni.

It had felt wrong leaving Mouse, aka Michelle O'Hallarin, at home. The five girls had ended up in the foster system in Houston at a very young age, and it hadn't taken long for them to feel jaded. Maybe they hadn't known the word at the time, but jaded and cynical came quickly. Then, when they were eight years old, Vivian Dalton had taken all five girls into her home to foster. Vivian was the mother of the President of the Sons in Houston. Vivian had changed their worlds. She and her son had given the girls even more family with the SOAHTC. They'd grown up daughters of the MC, and they'd felt lost when Vivian passed away three months before. Then, two months ago the strange letters started arriving, and now they were on this big damn adventure.

Sam and Kes came over to join her, and Sam smacked her legs to get them off the couch so she could sit down. "I'm nervous," she muttered.

"Why?" Kes asked.

"What if they're prejudiced?" Sam's eyes were filled with worry.

Val wasn't looking forward to staying with another Club, well same Club, different people, she shook those thoughts off knowing she wasn't making sense in her head. Kes shook her head, and wrinkled her nose, "It's just another bunch of guys, and the Clubhouse probably smells a lot like home, with the same stank."

"First, I don't think Bruno would send us anywhere where people would give you issues. Second, if they do, I'll fuck them up, along with the rest of our posse here, and then we'll leave." Val assured her friend.

"On the other hand," Kes grinned at her sisters, "Maybe we'll meet some nummies."

Both Sam and Val smiled. "A summer distraction wouldn't be so bad."

"What if one of us fell in love?" Sam now worried on that.

"Won't happen to me," Val stated abruptly. "And if it did, for me it wouldn't. My forever will not be with a biker."

The others dropped the subject, knowing it was a touchy subject. "I did happen to procure a map of Charming," Kes said with a grin. "Adventure awaits!"

The other two girls gave her a grin.

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It was around eleven the next day when the bus drove past the Welcome to Charming sign. Sledge was on his bike, Toni holding on as he sped ahead.

As soon as the man and woman on the bike swept into the Teller-Morrow parking lot followed by the bus, the members all headed out of the garages, and Gemma headed out of the office. Time for Old Lady duty.

Sledge slid off the bike, and helped Toni dismount, before pulling her in for a kiss before turning to the Sons. He strode over to Jax, and shook his hand before giving him a back slapping hug. "Jax, great to see you, man! Toni, this is Jax Teller, VP of this chapter. Jax this is my Old Lady, Antoinette."

"Call me Toni," she smiled at the good looking blonde man. She held out her hand to shake his. "Redwood Original, we've all heard a lot about yall." Toni had dressed comfortably since she knew she'd be on the bike that day. She was wearing tight, skinny pants, a SOAHTC hoodie, and black combat boots. Her vibrant hair was pulled back into a short pony, and her green eyes were shining.

Everyone's attention turned to the bus as the doors swung open. A skinny man with a pock-marked face joined them. This was the prospect; Angelo. Kes was the first girl off the bus and was dressed in a white wife-beater, cut off denim shorts and flip flops. As she hopped off the last step, Sam exited the bus. She was wearing a peach colored, fitted tank top, and a broom skirt made up of peaches, teals and creams. Flat brown sandals adorned her feet. Val stepped off the bus, into the sunlight, and was glad she had on her sunglasses. Val was wearing ripped jeans, a metal band's shirt with the arms cut off, and a tight, black tank under that, and black Harley boots. She was already pulling out a smoke as she and the others made their way over to the group. As they got closer it was easy to see all four girls had ink; ink and body modification.

Sledge who had been talking to Clay and Happy, stopped and motioned the women over. "And these are Toni's sisters, my sisters. Kes, Sam and Val."

Sam smiled at first Clay, and then Gemma, "We really appreciate yall having us."

"We don't wanna be no trouble," Kes spoke, her blue eyes serious.

"If there is anything you need help with while we're here, please let us know," Val's voice was husky. "We clean, run errands, cook…. Well, Sam doesn't cook, in fact it would be safer for everyone if Sam didn't even look at the food being prepared." A wide grin spread over the blonde's face, as she smoothly ducked out of the way of her friend trying to smack her.

Then Sam shrugged, "It's true," she said brightly, "but why do I need to cook when I have you and Kes?"

"I appreciate the offer," Gemma told them. She was feeling better about this whole thing. "I'll let you know. We should show you where you're staying in the Clubhouse."

The girl's looked at each other quickly, hoping no one noticed the glance. "OH! I was just thinking I'd stay on the tour bus," Val offered a smile, her thumb pointing back at the bus. "That way we're taking up less of your space."

"That's a good idea, Val! I could stay out there with you!" Sam offered.

Sledge almost got whiplash as his head spun to look at the two girls. "Like Hell you are!"

Sam tried blinking innocently, out of all of them she was the best at it. "No one will be alone, and who would possibly mess with us here?" She gestured around the lot.

Gemma watched and listened with a smirk as Kes leaned into Val, "Told ya he would go bat shit. You owe me five bucks." She murmured to the taller woman, before clearing her throat. "I could stay out here too. Safety in numbers."

Sledge was glaring at them as the light bulb went off in his brain. "You guys want to stay out here so you can sneak off on one of your little adventures." He looked as his wife. "And I damn well know that if they're going, you would somehow find a way to join them."

Toni blushed, he knew her well, but she chose to keep quiet. Growing up the group of girls' mantra had been, 'Admit to nothing. Avoid.'

Sledge just shook his head. "No. No to ALL of you," he threw a perturbed look at his woman as he emphasized the word 'All'. "We're here right now to keep you all safe."

"I made a promise to Bruno to keep you as safe as possible," Clay broke in. "Everyone will be sleeping inside. Juice, show them where they'll be staying."

The four girls, pouting, followed after the Puerto Rican.

Jax was laughing outright, while everyone else was smirking for the most part. "You only got one Old Lady, but your hands are full."

Sledge rubbed his forehead and sighed, "Dude, you have no idea. Those girls are trouble, in big, bold capital letters. If you ever see two or more of them whispering somewhere it means they're plotting some type of mischief. And even if it's only two talking, all four will be in on it. And until they get married, or in a committed relationship, they're mine to protect."

"Not Bruno?" Clay asked.

Sledge shrugged. "He takes care of them. Loves them like sisters, but they're Toni's family, which means they're my family. If you get one, you sort of get to take care of them all. It's not like most other girls. But I wouldn't change it."

The Sons, Gemma and Sledge, headed into the Clubhouse. Jax couldn't help but laugh again as he thought of the face Sledge had made when he realized those chicks were trying to pull a fast one on him.

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It had been three days since the women and Sledge had arrived. It was Friday which meant party night. So far they'd been behaving themselves. At least the men thought they were behaving themselves. They'd been a tremendous help to Gemma; cooking, cleaning, and helping her in the office. Every morning the four got up, went running, and then came back to Gemma. Jax was surprised to see his mother so fond of the four girls. Donna had even been spending time there with them, and it seemed like the ice was thawing between her and his Ma.

None of the Sons had really had opportunity to spend time with the ladies, and it had been quiet around the lot. Jax had been spending a lot of time at the hospital with Abel…. And trying to avoid Tara. Which wasn't that easy. He was just too damned tired to deal with her. With Wendy dyin' when she OD'd, and Abel being so sick with a low chance of survival… yeah, he was tired. Still he should at least check in with his Ma.

He had to turn in some paperwork on a Mirage, so he figured it would be a good time to talk to Gemma. When he entered there was laughter but not at him. In fact they hadn't even noticed he was there yet, so he leaned in the doorway. It seemed like they were playing a game, and even his mother and Donna were playing. It was sort of nice seeing Donna relax with the club, and seeing his Ma actually bonding with women other than LuAnn.

"Alright, Ladies… our next gentleman is Daniel Radcliffe…" Toni announced.

"Who the fuck is that?" Gemma broke in with a frown.

Sam started waving her fingers in the air, and then said, in a bad English accent, "Harry Potter."

"I read all of those books with the kids," Donna added.

Toni nodded, "Yeah Harry Potter, but older now."

Val must have pulled up a picture on her phone, and she was showing his Ma, whose nose was wrinkling like she smelled something bad. "Seriously?"

Again, Toni, nodded," Yuppers. So, Harry Potter, Sick, Lick, or Dick?"

Jax almost choked on saliva as she spoke the words. What kind of fucked up game were they playing in here? With his MOTHER? It didn't take him long to figure out what the magic words applied to.

Val sneered, "Sick."

"Sick," his Ma agreed with the blonde and they shared a snicker.

Sam chimed in, "Sick."

"Definitely, Sick," Donna agreed.

Kes shrugged, "I don't know I might let him have a Lick." This made Toni snort. "My turn," Kes sang out, "Val's gonna get some hot flashes… Liam Neeson."

"Lick," Sam went with, seeming a little unsure.

Toni shook her head, "Sick."

"I guess I'd go with Lick," Donna chimed in giggling,

"Dick," Gemma grinned.

"DICK!" Val was enthusiastic. "Total Dick, for days and days Dick." All the ladies, even Gemma laughed.

Jax was speechless. Sledge was right, these girls were trouble.

"Even though he's so much older than you, Honey?" Gemma asked.

"From what I understand, Mr. Neeson is HUGELY talented, and uses that TALENT to the very best of his abilities." She kept pulling her hands farther and farther apart as if measuring something. "And age can only be a good thing, I mean, right… knowing how to use his assets…?

Kes couldn't stop laughing.

Sam grinned, "Time for a classic, Matthew McConnaughy."

"hmmmm, Lick," Gemma declared.

Jax was starting to think he should have left a long time ago.

"Lick," Kes agreed.

"Dick," Donna nodded.

"Dick," Toni chirped.

"Sick," Val barely spoke before the other girls were gasping in shock.

"Seriously?" Sam asked.

"He's pretty," Val explained. "Pretty boys are arrogant, conceited, and too damned worried about their own pleasure than yours. He wouldn't even be able to go down because he'd be too busy talking about how hot he was."

"You don't date much do you, Honey?" Gemma asked containing a snort of amusement.

Sam winced. "Val had a bad breakup a few months ago. He was pretty," Sam's whisper was not quiet.

"Gemma, I don't date AT ALL." Val stated, then she smiled. "My turn. James Hetfield."

And Jax found himself hurrying away as six female voices all shouted, "Dick!"

Jax walked over to Sledge, not even knowing if he should say anything about what he'd just witnessed.

"What's up, brother?" Sledge asked. He was working on his bike.

"Those girls…"

Sledge looked at Jax's face and began laughing. "They were playing one of their games weren't they? Their favorites are there's Your Boyfriend or SLD. They were playing Sick, Lick, Dick, weren't they?" Now he recognized the face of a man who had just realized that all was not what he thought. "I told you they were something else."

"They were playing with my MOTHER."

That made Sledge laugh even harder.

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	2. Chapter 2

A/N: I am reworking The World They Made, but I was listening to music at work and this story, well several really, but this one mostly came to me. So I started it. I'm recycling some of my characters from other stories and putting them in different situations. I am not as familiar with SOA as I am with other fandoms, so I apologize if my characters are too OOC for you. The story is very, very AU. I might bash those you don't want bashed. Fingers crossed. A few notes. My main females are a band, so I will be using a ton of lyrics in this story. In the story, the band will have written them, but at the end of each chapter I will put song title and artist for each song used.

1) Valeria sounds like Lizzy Hale

2) Samantha sounds like Pink

3) Toni sounds like Hailey Williams

4) Kes sounds like Taylor Momsen.

Disclaimer: I do not own, or make profit from The Son of Anarchy, nor do I own or make profit from any of the music used in the story.

I do not condone the use of alcohol, drugs, and/or violence.

**I will include parenthesis with the initial to show who sings what. ex. (V) (S) (T) (K) (B)-both (A)-all

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By the time the guys had closed down the shop for the day the girls' naughty, little game had broken up and they had all headed over to the clubhouse to get the place party ready. The Sons were startled to hear singing when they entered the building.

Kes, who carried drumsticks in her back pocket constantly, had her sticks out and was tapping out a rhythm on the bar. Toni had her hands cupped, and she rapped them against the bar, part of the rhythm, the sound deeper than the tapping of Kes. Sam was dancing around and clapping, adding to the beat. Donna and Gemma were sitting at the bar, smiling widely at the girls. Val was singing.

(V) Boot on the start line

Pistol in the air

'Quila in the glass and a cold dead stare

Two minutes in baby make your move

If you won't do it I'll do it for you

I ain't waitin' on you, no

I ain't waitin' for you

All the girls joined in on the chorus:

(A) I jump the gun

Oh here I go again

I'm the one

Don't know when to say when

Here for fun I wasn't looking for a friend

Now we're kissing under covers and it's all

Just because I jumped the gun

Val did a little two step jig as she sang.

(V)Checkers on the flag

Time to pay the tab

Hoppin' in a cab

It's time to be bad

Cigarette smoke, lipstick on your face

My place or yours

I'm good either way

Oh babe my meter's runnin'

Oh baby are you coming?

(A)I jump the gun

Oh here I go again

I'm the one

Don't know when to say when

Here for fun I wasn't looking for a friend

Now we're kissing under covers and it's all

Just because

I jump the gun

Oh here I go again

I'm the one

Don't know when to say when

Here for fun I wasn't looking for a friend

Now we're kissing under covers and it's all

Just because I jumped the gun

None of the women had realized the men entered the clubhouse.

(V) Woke up in the morning pounding in my head

Three empty bottles no sheets on the bed

Baby rolled over and this is what he said

He said,

(K) "babe I think I love you"

(A) Oh babe jump the gun

Oh here I go again

I'm the one

Don't know when to say when

Here for fun I wasn't looking for a friend

Now we're kissing under covers and it's all

Just because I"

Jumped the gun

Oh, here I go again

I'm the one

Don't know when to say when

Here for fun I wasn't looking for a friend

Now we're kissing under covers and it's all

Just because

I couldn't keep in my pocket

Lit the fuse to the rocket

And I'm sinnin' while I'm winnin'

Now it's end and a beginning

And we'll see the rising sun

Because I jumped the gun

I jumped the gun (whoa whoa)

(V) Boot on the start line

Pistol in the air

'Quila in the glass, oh here I go again"

Gemma and Donna clapped enthusiastically. "You girls are fantastic!"

"Thanks, Gemma," Val smiled. "But really, we're better with instruments and on a stage."

All six women jumped as the men started clapping. Sledge moved over to pull Toni into a kiss. Val couldn't help her warm smile. THAT was what she had wanted. And if she couldn't have that, then she would be fine with nothing. She shook her head to get the thoughts out of her head. Val didn't care that she was only 25, she was done with love.

She turned around to check the chicken. Val and Kes had cooked it using their Aunt Viv's special homemade barbeque sauce. Seeing everything done, she turned and high fived Kes who had moved over to check the side dishes. "Soups on!" she yelled out, and then she and Kes got the hell out of the way so as not to be trampled by hungry biker men.

While the men sat around at tables eating, the girls got their food and sat at the bar.

"Bet it! Five bucks says three guys get kicked outta here tonight." Kes challenged.

"You have a true gambling addiction, Kestrel," Toni snorted. "I go with four."-

"Terms?" Sam asked.

"Yeah, do we just have to say more or less than you, or give an exact number?" Val questioned.

"Exact number, if no one gets an exact number, then it goes to whoever is closest." Kes stipulated.

"No cheating!" Toni warned. "You can't go get people kicked out on purpose."

"Would we do that?" Sam asked and tried her blinking thing.

The other three girls looked at her as if saying, are you serious? "Three words, Sammy," Val held up three fingers. "Beanie and Trout."

Sam's blush was obviously as her mocha skin pinkened. "Fair enough."

Clay had gotten up to get more food, and couldn't help the chuckle that escaped him. He probably shouldn't enjoy them so much, but Gem was so happy the past few days. "If any of you ladies have issues tonight, just find one of us."

"Thanks, Mr. Morrow," Sam smiled at him. "I'm sure we'll be fine."

"Mr. Morrow, do you think sometime next week we could mark out a spot or something so we could set up to practice. Maybe out under one of the awnings in the lot?" Toni asked.

Val nodded, "We probably should practice for the festivals. We don't want to suck in front of large crowds."

"We'll have a couple of the boys take care of that for you," he promised, "And, again, you all can call me Clay."

People had started to arrive, so Gemma ordered some of the Crow-eaters and Sweetbutts to clean up from dinner, while everyone else went to get ready.

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Sledge was introducing Toni to everyone. He kept looking for the other girls, but couldn't get a bead on them.

Kes was standing right outside of the fight ring cheering on Half Sack as he fought a hanger on. She wanted in the ring bad. They let her in there sometimes at home. But she doubted they would here.

Sam and Val had made their way to a picnic table that was hidden in shadows, and near the tour bus. "Why don't you go mingle? You love parties." Val asked. She didn't want to spoil the evening for her friend.

Sam's nose wrinkled. "I'm not sure I'm in the mood. But I brought this to share with my bestie," she grinned as she took out a full bottle of Grey Goose vodka.

Val grinned. "There are so many reasons you are not only my sister but my bestie." Val dug in the pocket of her tight jeans and pulled out a joint and lighter. "My contribution to the cause."

Sam laughed delightedly.

The two sat next to each other on the table alternating between a swig of vodka and a toke. They watched as Toni joined Kes next to the ring. A drunk man had walked up to the girls, and even though they couldn't hear the words, Sam and Val just knew he was propositioning one or both of the girls.

"Who's that on the roof?" Val asked Sam, slightly pointing. All they could see was the cherry on the end of a cigarette.

Sam shrugged, "Can't tell." Both girls burst out laughing as they saw Toni slap the man, and Kes drove her knee into the man's groin. "That's one." They watched as the guy named Tig drug the man to the gates. "You know you're going to lose badly right?"

Val frowned, "I thought I made a great guess."

Sam's eyes widened in disbelief, "Eight? You really think eight guys are gonna get kicked out of here tonight?"

"Ladies," a man joined them.

The girls tensed, but then realized it was Jax. "Mr. Teller, please join us," Val waved expansively as the table they were sitting on, bringing a smile to his face before he took a seat on the table, his feet braced on the bench.

"Drink?" Sam offered, holding out the vodka. "We don't have glasses, but you are more than welcome to share." She smiled as he took a swig and handed the bottle back.

Val held out the spliff, "Toke?"

Jax raised his eyebrows, and took the weed, inhaled healthily before giving it back, Sam grabbing it before Val could. "What are you all doing all the way over here?'

The two girls looked at each other, then back at him. "Drinking," Sam supplied, and motioned to the bottle of vodka.

"Smoking," Val added, then grinned "And watching." Sbe pointed at the ring and people around it.

He tilted his head slightly and saw Kes and Toni at the ring.

"So far we're at one tossed guy," Sam said, and Jax started choking on the vodka he'd just taken a drink of.

"Sam, that sounded vaguely dirty," Val informed her friend. "I didn't see him get tossed at all," she told Jax frankly, "if it happened…However, I did see him get his ass kicked by two girls then thrown out the gate."

Jax's grin grew. These girls were pretty funny.

Sam leaned closer, "Can you believe that Val bet that EIGHT guys would get chunked out of here tonight… eight!"

"Sam picked two," Val's tone was unimpressed. "As if."

Opie and Donna joined them, Opie pulling up a second table to give the group more room. "We brought booze and weed," Donna giggled. Opie shared a happy smile with Jax.

"That's why we like you so much, Donna, you're a thinker," Val told the brunette. Then suddenly she shouted, "HA! That's two more." She pointed towards where Tig, and now Happy, were dragging two more men out the gates.

"How many is that?" Donna asked.

"Three," Sam spoke succinctly, and pouted.

"Damn! I should have bet. I think it's going to be six," Donna wrinkled her nose. "Maybe next party."

Sam's attention had been caught by something, her eyes widening, "Oh holy shit, wow," she sighed out.

Everyone at the table looked in the direction where the girl was looking. Opie and Jax saw the ring, Toni and Kes, and now Sledge were watching and talking to others. Happy was getting into the ring to fight some black guy. The two men had removed their shoes, but the black man kept his tank top on while Happy had stripped his shirt and kutte off.

Val met Donna's eyes, and both women started giggling.

Opie frowned, "What's so funny?"

Sam just made a little whimper. Val smirked and met Jax's gaze to see if he'd realized what caught Sam's attention. Obviously Donna had. It took him a minute to clue in, but when she saw his grin widen, she knew he'd figured it out.

"See something you like, Sam?" he asked innocently.

Sam blinked at him, sort of out of it, "It's not fair!" Which made Val laugh harder. "Valeria stop laughing at me!"

Val threw her arm over Sam's shoulders, "Poor Sammy. Had to come all the way to California to find a little hard body who did it for you." Sam started to pout.

Opie started laughing as it clicked.

"How about you, Val?" Donna asked. "Seen anything you like?"

"Oh I've seen plenty, and I do like to look, but nope, and not sure I'm going to." Val said confidently. "I will never seriously date again. Especially not a biker."

"Hey!" Opie exclaimed, "What's wrong with bikers?"

Val had leaned forward to share the joint with Jax. "Nothing. I have a lot of them in my life, and have mad love and respect. But dating one…"

"It can be dangerous," Jax admitted. "It's a violent world."

"Jail," Donna added, and then snuggled into Opie.

"Oh, Dude! That's not it at all! Of course there's danger, and chance of prison, but if I loved someone I'd stand by them. I'd want them to be happy. And if being in the MC made them happy…."

"What's the reason then, Darlin'?" Jax asked curiously. Then he realized he rarely actually talked to women. The Crow-eaters didn't talk much.

"Honestly, it's the Road rules. There is no way I'm going to share the guy I decide to exclusively fuck with anyone else. And most bikers have the whole what happens on the road stays on the road bullshit." She sneered. "If I'm going to share this," she stood on the table, and turned while motioning to her body in its tight jeans and tank top, before taking a seat again, "on a semi-permanent basis, and let me tell you, this is fucking incredible, if I'm going to share this, then my guy is not going to touch another woman."

Sam must have heard what Val said, because she leaned into her friend with a sad face, "Val…"

Val patted her friend's shoulder, "I'm fine baby-doll." Donna looked thoughtful, and the men were frowning. They'd known the way of it since they were kids. It only backfired when something followed you home. "Look that world, those rules, might work for some, just not for me. I am a jealous bitch, and I don't share. I was dating a Club member back home… and we made a promise that it was me and him, him and me, no one in between." Val's eyes lost focus. "But it did not happen that way. He wanted me to be his Old Lady, but we'd promised, and he'd broken that trust. He didn't think it was a big deal, so I asked him, how would he feel if I hooked up on the road while touring? Like, if I hooked up with a dude from another band? Road rules can go both ways as far as I'm concerned, and if he wants me to be his Old Lady, but doesn't want to respect me, then why should I afford him that?" she came back to herself.

"What did he say?" Donna asked softly. The guys were frowning as they thought about their Old Ladies fucking someone on the road. That did not sit well at all.

"He didn't like the question," she grinned over at the other woman. Sam's arm tightened on Val's shoulder. "So we ended the relationship."

"He hit you," Sam muttered.

"He HIT you?" Jax asked, both he and Opie looked flabbergasted. Most of the Sons were of the opinion one did not abuse a woman.

"He thought that would get the message across more clearly," she shrugged.

98989898

(Song above: I Jump The Gun by the very talented Halestorm)


	3. Chapter 3

1) Valeria sounds like Lizzy Hale

2) Samantha sounds like Pink

3) Toni sounds like Hailey Williams

4) Kes sounds like Taylor Momsen.

Disclaimer: I do not own, or make profit from The Son of Anarchy, nor do I own or make profit from any of the music used in the story.

I do not condone the use of alcohol, drugs, and/or violence.

**I will include parenthesis with the initial to show who sings what. ex. (V) (S) (T) (K) (B)-both (A)-all

989899989

"Fucker scarred my sister," Kes, Toni and Sledge had approached without the others having even noticed. "Thirty fucking stitches…"

"You guys are getting too fucking serious," Val frowned at them. "My friends, we have good booze, good weed, and good company, what more could a person ask for?"

Toni placed an acoustic guitar on the table. "Some music."

Jax had lit up another joint, as had Opie, so now the two were being passed around the group.

Val took a big hit, and said, "What are ya gonna sing?"

Kes shoved her slightly. "You, you moron. Sing us a song Valli girl."

The nickname made Val smile remembering eight year old Kes calling her that the first time. She rolled her eyes, and picked up the guitar. "You guys mind?" she asked Jax and Opie.

"No," Opie said. "I like music."

Jax just nodded.

"Do What Sober," Toni murmured and leaned back into Sledge.

Val began to strum, and when she first started singing her voice was soft, picking up as she got into the slow song.

(V)Headed for a blackout hurting like hell

Finding my way to bottom of the bottle

Packing up my suitcase

Leaving no trace

One step closer with every swallow

A deafening silence

Like you like me

Where you want me

Saying nothing

But not this time

I'm gonna say

I'm gonna say

What sober couldn't say

Couldn't break through

Under the influence of you

Incoherent, truth serum

Just enough to make me bullet proof

I'm so over this love gone violent

I'm drunk and brave enough to say

What sober couldn't say

Val sang with her eyes closed and didn't realize people were joining them. Her voice was husky and smooth. Anytime Val sang she put her heart into it. Jax watched her enthralled.

Criminal in my mind

I've been doing time

Believing in the lie

That you still loved me

Making up for

The slamming of the door

Always wanting more but never giving

Sick of crying

Tired of trying

Always buying

Into every kiss

But not this time

I'm gonna say

What sober couldn't say

Couldn't break through

Under the influence of you

Incoherent, truth serum

Just enough to make me bullet proof

I'm so over this love gone violent

I'm drunk and brave enough to say

What sober couldn't say

Tig took a seat next to Opie on the table, holding a blonde in his arms. Happy was alone and stood at the side of the table, near Sam, who didn't even notice as she was too busy listening to a song she'd heard quite often; hell she'd helped write it.

This is my intervention

Getting your attention (ooh)

I'm gonna say

I'm gonna say

I'm gonna say

What sober couldn't say

Couldn't break through

Under the influence of you

Incoherent, truth serum

Just enough to make me bullet proof

I'm so over this love gone violent

I'm drunk and brave enough to say

What sober couldn't say

What sober couldn't say

I'm so over this love gone violent

I'm drunk and brave enough to say

I'm over this

So over this

Everyone started clapping and it startled Val.

"You've got quite the voice on you beautiful," a big blonde Son smiled at Val.

Val gave a tight smile, "Thanks." Then she jumped as Kes and Toni slapped five dollars each onto her knee.

Sam saw it and frowned. "Shit! Really?"

Kes sighed, "They just hit eight. So, even if it goes over that, she'll win because she's the closest."

Val laughed delightedly as Sam struggled to get her five bucks out of her pants pocket. She slid sideways and would have fallen off the table if Happy hadn't caught her. She made an 'Eep' noise as soon as she saw who had saved her, and turned bright red, before mumbling a thank you.

Val, Donna, Opie and Jax began to laugh at the embarrassed girl, and a confused Happy.

"Fuck, I would totally get up and do a victory lap if I wasn't so stoned," Val stretched. "You should have bet, Donna, then I could have taken your money too."

Donna laughed shoving the blonde. She was feeling so good and mellow. "I'm so glad you all came here."

88888

The next morning Jax stumbled out of his empty bed, which was uncommon, that it was empty that is, pulled on some jeans, threw a shirt over his shoulder, grabbed his smokes, and headed out to smoke. Chibs, Happy, and Tig sat at the table, already smoking.

"What the fuck is going on?" Jax mumbled as he heard loud clanking noises.

"Building a stage," Tig responded, his eyes following the progress. "Girls were out here earlier. How can they be so goddamned bouncy the morning after a fucking party?"

"Should have seen 'em hauling all their shit over." Bobby joined them with coffee and a cigarette.

"Miles offered to carry the drums for Kes and she looked like she might bite him." Tig chuckled.

"Independent lassies," Chibs added.

"Speaking of, where are they while all of this is being done?" Jax asked.

"Said it was hot and they went on the bus." Tig shared. "I wanna go on the bus."

Just as Tig spoke the bus door opened and Val exited.

"Well, fuck me," Jax muttered.

Val was wearing a red bikini top, and she filled it out very well. She was also wearing cut off denims, but the strings of the bottom of the bikini could be seen on her hips while the shorts rode low. The musical notes tattoo did wrap around her body, going from her left middle finger, up, wrapping around, and then down, wrapping around her right leg, down to her toes. She also had a smattering of other tattoos, including a chain around her left thigh, set on fire and locked with a padlock.

Toni was next. She wore a pink tube top with matching shorts. Angel wings were inked to the back of her shoulders, and she too had tattoos sporadically over her body.

Kes stepped down in a blue handkerchief top and her cutoffs. Kes had a dragon wrapped around her back with its face and paws peeking around the right side of her ribs, and the tail curling down onto her left thigh.

Sam was last wearing an orange crocheted bikini top and a little white flirty skirt. A pair of butterfly wings were inked in full, glorious color across her back.

The women moved towards the men on the picnic table, and as they got closer, they turned to look at the stage, everyone could see that all four girls had the same tattoo on the base of their necks. It said, 'Five Points Make A Star', below it was a pentagram with one letter at each point; V, M, S, A, K.

"What do the letters stand for?" Tig asked, causing the women to turn and face them again.

"Valeria, Michelle, Samantha, Antoinette, and Kestrel," Toni informed the man.

"Why the burning chain?" Chibs asked Val. Hap's eyes were busy taking in all the different art on the women.

The other girls snickered. Val rolled her eyes, but also blushed. "Before I realized I would be single forever, I used to be a romantic little fool. It's symbolic. I thought when I found my future I would put his name or initials in the padlock as if to say I was his and all of my burning passion was his. I was dumb."

Before any of the men could comment on that, Sam spoke, "Us practicing during the day isn't going to bother yall is it?"

They all waved her off. The girls started to wander over to Clay and the Prospects, who appeared to be finishing up. "Hey Sam," Jax stopped the girl, "I have a quick question for you."

"Sure, ask away," Sam smiled.

"Last night you all were talking about Val's ex and that she ended up with stitches. What did he do?"

Sam looked a little sad and looked to her friend walking away. "She told him to take a hike, and when she wouldn't listen to him anymore, he got mad and shoved her off a four foot retaining wall." Then she turned and joined her sisters.

Tig looked to his brothers, "Maybe that fucker will show up." Hope was gleaming in his manic eyes.

Jax chuckled, stubbed out his cigarette and headed to the stage where the girls were set up while Clay spoke to them. "Hey I'm gonna head up to the hospital to see Abel, and Hap's gonna tag along."

"Who's Abel?" Kes asked from where she was manhandling a bass drum and kick stand into place.

"He's my son," Jax shared. "He's ten weeks premature, and there are a lot of health issues going on."

The girl's remembered hearing about Jax's ex-wife death. Then they realized what he was talking about and all four of their heads popped up, "Baby?"

"Anyone want to come," he offered, sort of surprising himself.

"ME!" Valeria almost shouted. "I'm just going to get a shirt," and she was running from the stage before anyone could say anything.

"Oh, can I come too," Sam asked, then she scowled after her sister. "Baby hog," she muttered.

Jax laughed again. "Sure. You can ride with Hap," he teased.

She blushed bright red, but didn't change her mind, just yelled to Val, "Get me a shirt too, Valeria."

The blonde was back out in less than a heartbeat, and she tossed shoes, a top and jeans at Sam as she met them at the bikes. Meanwhile, she dropped her cutoffs, showing that she was indeed wearing bikini bottoms, and then pulled up a pair of loose cargo pants, a hoodie and sneakers. From the noise Jax heard, he was pretty sure Tig had swallowed his tongue.

Sam pulled up her pants under her skirt and then pulled the skirt off before buttoning up. She had been brought a hoodie that matched Val's. And last but not least, her sneakers. "Ready!"

The guys were speechless. The girls hadn't shown anything, but that had been hot. The hoodies were interesting. They were black with the letters DOD across the chest. Across the back was a dark angel, a globe of darkness in one hand, and a raven on the index finger of the other. Underneath the angel it spelled Daughters of Darkness.

Val moved over to Jax, "Mind if I ride with you Jax?" Purposely leaving Sam to ride with Happy.

"Sure." He straddled his bike, and then helped her on behind him. Handing her an extra helmet, he waited for everyone to be ready. "You like to ride?" he asked.

"Love it!" Val gripped her thighs around his hips, and wrapped her arms around his waist as he started the bike.

Jax had to admit, it felt pretty great; strong thighs wrapped around his hips, arms holding onto him, and full breasts pushed against his back. Valeria Winters might just be the best riding partner he'd had in a long fucking time. He smirked when he heard her gasp as he started the bike. She was one of those girls that was sensitive to the vibrations of a motorcycle. Looking over he saw Sam still blushing, and Happy smirking, and figured Sam probably was too.

The four got to Abel's room, and the girls were at the toaster within heartbeats. Chicks and babies, man, Jax just shook his head.

Val and Sam started talking to Abel, and Jax was interested to see his little man straining in the direction of their voices.

Tara entered the room, almost like she knew the moment Jax entered the hospital. Seeing Hap leaning against the wall, a beautiful black woman on one side of the incubator, and Jax and a beautiful, curvy blonde on the other, Tara scowled. "You brought Crow-eaters to see your son, Jackson?" the disgust was evident in her voice.

"Excuse me?" Sam looked at the doctor incredulously.

Val looked at Tara for a moment. Hmm, looked like a jealous ex. "Not worth it," Val said with disdain. Then she dismissed Tara, and turned her attention back to Abel. "He's breathtaking, Jax."

Jax was pretty pissed off, because of Tara's nasty comments, but he looked down and met Val's navy blue eyes. "Thanks, I think so too. Excuse me for a minute, I just have to ask Dr. Knowles something." As he walked out the door, he grabbed Tara by the arm and pulled her with him. Once they were in the hall, he snapped. "What the hell is your problem?"

"Dr. Knowles, really Jax? What don't want the flavor of the minute to know I'm your Old Lady?"

"First, Val isn't the flavor of the minute. Second, neither of those girls are Crow-eaters or Sweetbutts, so shut your mouth about them, and Third, you WERE my Old Lady, you stopped bein' that ten years ago when you left."

"I wear your crow."

"No, you have a tattoo of an old crow that doesn't mean anything. It's just a bit of old ink." Jax turned his back on her and headed back for the hospital room, so he could spend some time with his son before he had to head back to the club.

Stepping into the room, Val and Sam were singing to Abel softly.

(V)Come with me  
And you'll be  
In a world of pure imagination  
Take a look  
And you'll see  
Into your imagination

(S)We'll begin  
With a spin  
Traveling in  
The world of my creation  
What we'll see  
Will defy  
Explanation

(V)If you want to view paradise  
Simply look around and view it  
Anything you want to, do it  
Want to change the world?  
There's nothing to it

Jax happened to look over at Happy, and the man seemed mesmerized by Sam.

(B)There is no  
Life I know  
To compare with pure imagination  
Living there  
You'll be free  
If you truly wish to be

(S)Come with me  
And you'll be  
In a world of pure imagination  
Take a look  
And you'll see  
Into your imagination

(V)There is no  
Place to go  
To compare with your imagination  
So go there  
To be free  
If you truly wish to be

(B)Living there  
You'll be free  
If you truly wish to be

The nurse came in right behind him, smiling when she heard the women. "They're good," she told Jax. "Ready to hold your son?"

"Live for it," he told her. Jax sat and rocked as he held Abel.

Meanwhile, the girl's spoke quietly, "We need to arrange a shopping trip," Val told Sam.

"We should speak to Clay when we get back," Sam agreed. "Oh, he wanted to know if we wanted to play their parties. Just something like going out and playing on the new stage, and whoever wanted to could wander our way. I thought it might be good practice. Told him I'd talk to you other girls, but I thought we'd all agree."

"Yeah I'm fine with that. Does that mean tonight?"

"Yeah. I thought I'd wear the red squeaky."

"Awesome, then I'll wear the purple, and tell Toni to wear the yellow, and Kes to wear the blue."

Sam grinned, "Now let's just hope your pants don't fall off."

Jax looked at them. "Your pants might fall off?" he was intrigued.

Val scoffed, "No they won't. Sam just thinks it would be funny if they did."

9898988

Val was slightly panting by the time they got back to Teller-Morrow. Jack tried not to chuckle. "If you want, since you like riding, we could go on a longer rider later." He offered, and felt her fingers tighten on his abdomen at his words. To be honest, the little gasps and wiggling on their way back had sort of been torture.

When they got back to the lot, Gemma was out talking to Kes and Toni. Sledge was working on something on the stage. Jax decided to go over and give his mom a hug, but Sam and Val gave a little squeal, and ran over to her first. He watched as both girls hugged and kissed his mom. She looked really happy at the girls' backs as they moved over to check the stage.

"Hey Ma," he said before kissing and hugging her.

"Hey Baby, how's our little man this morning?"

He couldn't stop the smile. "He's good, got his own personal concert this morning."

Gemma chuckled. "They're sweet girls." He could only nod in agreement. "I need to talk to Clay and arrange for him to get some little bodyguards. The girls want to go shopping, and asked me and Donna to go with them."

"We'll take care of it," Jax promised. "They met Tara today." Before she could go on a rant asking why he was around Tara, he continued, "Bitch called 'em Crow-eaters, so I straightened her out. Also made sure she understood that crow from a decade past ain't nothing but old ink."

Gemma looked into Jax's blue eyes, and felt relief. "Thank you, Baby, for sticking up for those girls. And I'm glad you set her straight."

"I better get to work," he told her kissing her on the forehead one more time.

898989988

(Songs: What Sober Couldn't say—Halestorm; Pure Imagination—Leslie Bricusse & Anthony Newley. Best known for the movie Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. I changed the arrangement just a smidge)


	4. Chapter 4

1) Valeria sounds like Lizzy Hale

2) Samantha sounds like Pink

3) Toni sounds like Hailey Williams

4) Kes sounds like Taylor Momsen.

Disclaimer: I do not own, or make profit from The Son of Anarchy, nor do I own or make profit from any of the music used in the story.

I do not condone the use of alcohol, drugs, and/or violence.

**I will include parenthesis with the initial to show who sings what. ex. (V) (S) (T) (K) (B)-both (A)-all

9898

Everyone was hard at work, when they heard the power click in for the temporary stage set up, and they started doing soundchecks. There were instrument noises, and someone speaking softly into the microphone, while Sledge was messing with some kind of power board. Then there was silence for about twenty seconds before there was a quick count off, and the music began, drawing all the men out of the garage to watch for a moment. 

Sam and Val were back in their skimpy clothes. Kes was behind the drums, Sam was playing bass guitar, and both Toni and Val held guitars. Val was approaching the microphone.

(V) In the daylight,  
I'm your sweetheart,  
You're goody-two-shoes prude is a work of art  
But you don't know me,  
And soon you won't forget,  
Bad as can be, yeah you know I'm not so innocent

Better beware I go bump in the night,  
Devil-may-care with a lust for life,  
And I know you,  
Can't resist me,  
Soon though you,  
Are so addicted  
Boy you better run for your life!

(V,S)Welcome to the nightmare in my head,

(A)(Oh god!)  
Say hello to something scary,  
The monster in your bed,

(Oh god!)  
Just give in and you won't be sorry,  
Welcome to my other side,  
Hello it's Mz Hyde!

(V)I can be the bitch,  
I can play the whore,  
Or your fairytale princess who could ask for more  
A touch of wicked,  
A pinch of risqué,  
Good girl gone bad, my poison is your remedy

Better be scared, better be afraid,  
Now that the beast is out of her cage,  
And I know you,  
Wanna risk it,  
Soon though you,  
Are so addicted  
Boy you better run for your life!

(V,S)Welcome to the nightmare in my head,

(A)(My god!)  
Say hello to something scary,  
The monster in your bed,

(My god!)  
Just give in and you won't be sorry,  
Welcome to my evil side,  
Hello it's Mz Hyde!  
Hello it's Mz Hyde!  
Hello it's Mz Hyde!

(V)I'm the spider crawling down your spine,  
Underneath your skin  
I will gently violate your mind,  
Before I tuck you in  
Put on the blindfold  
There's no way to be sure,  
Which girl you'll get to know!

(V,S)Welcome to the nightmare in my head,

(A) (My god!)  
Say hello to something scary,  
The monster in your bed,

(My god!)  
Just give in and you won't be sorry,  
The nightmare in my head,

(Oh god!)  
Say hello to something scary,  
The monster in your bed,

(Oh god!)  
Just give in and you won't be sorry,  
Welcome to my evil side,  
Hello it's Mz Hyde!  
(V)Hello it's Mz Hyde!

"That sounded great, Val," Kes called out.

"Thanks, I want to check out We Are Broken, and Blow Me, too." As she spoke Val and Sam were switching instruments. Val now had a bass guitar and Sam a guitar. "Blow Me first?" she asked, and the others nodded.

It was fascinating watching them. The men had never seen behind the scenes for this sort of thing before. Although they smiled, the girls were serious about their work. And they were good. At least what they heard so far. This was the first time they'd heard them with instruments.

The women started playing again, and this time it was Sam singing.

(S)White knuckles  
And sweaty palms from hanging on too tight  
Clenched shut jaw  
I've got another headache again tonight

Eyes on fire, eyes on fire  
And they burn from all the tears  
I've been crying, I've been crying  
I've been dying over you

Tie a knot in the rope  
Trying to hold, trying to hold  
But there's nothing to grab  
So I let go

(A)I think I've finally had enough  
I think I maybe think too much  
I think this might be it for us  
Blow me one last kiss

(S)You think I'm just too serious  
I think you're full of shit  
My head is spinning, so  
Blow me one last kiss

Just when it can't get worse  
I've had a shit day  
You've had a shit day  
We've had a shit day

(A)I think that life's too short for this  
Want back my ignorance and bliss  
I think I've had enough of this  
Blow me one last kiss

(S)I won't miss all of the fighting  
That we always did  
Take it in  
I mean what I say when I say "there is nothing left"

No more sick whiskey dick  
No more battles from me  
You'll be calling a trick  
'Cause you no longer sleep

I'll dress nice, I'll look good  
I'll go dancing alone  
I will laugh, I'll get drunk  
I'll take somebody home

Sam had a really good voice too, husky and deeper than her speaking voice.

(A)I think I've finally had enough  
I think I maybe think too much  
I think this might be it for us  
Blow me one last kiss

You think I'm just too serious  
I think you're full of shit  
My head is spinning, so  
Blow me one last kiss

(S)Just when it can't get worse  
I've had a shit day  
You've had a shit day  
We've had a shit day

(A)I think that life's too short for this  
Want back my ignorance and bliss  
I think I've had enough of this  
Blow me one last kiss

Blow me one last kiss  
Blow me one last kiss

(S)I will do what I please  
Anything that I want  
I will breathe, I will breathe  
I won't worry at all

You will pay for your sins  
You'll be sorry, my dear  
All the lies, all the whys  
Will all be crystal clear

(A)I think I've finally had enough  
I think I maybe think too much  
I think this might be it for us  
Blow me one last kiss

You think I'm just too serious  
I think you're full of shit  
My head is spinning, so  
Blow me one last kiss

(S)Just when it can't get worse  
I've had a shit day  
You've had a shit day  
We've had a shit day

(A)I think that life's too short for this  
Want back my ignorance and bliss  
I think I've had enough of this  
Blow me one last kiss

Blow me one last kiss  
Blow me one last kiss

(S)Just when it can't get worse  
I've had a shit day  
You've had a shit day  
We've had a shit day

(A)I think that life's too short for this  
Want back my ignorance and bliss  
I think I've had enough of this  
Blow me one last kiss

The women didn't talk, just seemed to change into the next song that Toni was singing. Her voice was a little higher, brighter, and more clear than husky.

(T)I am outside  
And I've been waiting for the sun  
With my wide eyes  
I've seen worlds that don't belong

My mouth is dry  
With words I cannot verbalize  
Tell me why  
We live like this

Keep me safe inside  
Your arms like towers  
Tower over me, yeah

(A)Cause we are broken  
What must we do to restore  
Our innocence  
And all the promise we adored?  
Give us life again  
Cause we just wanna be whole

(T)Lock the doors  
Cause I'd like to capture this voice  
It came to me tonight  
So everyone will have a choice

And under red lights  
I'll show myself it wasn't forged  
We're at war  
We live like this

Keep me safe inside  
Your arms like towers  
Tower over me

(A)Cause we are broken  
What must we do to restore  
Our innocence  
And all the promise we adored?  
Give us life again  
Cause we just wanna be whole

(T) Tower over me  
(Ah...) Tower over me  
(Ah...)

And I'll take the truth at any cost

Cause we are broken  
(A)What must we do to restore  
Our innocence  
And all the promise we adored?  
Give us life again  
Cause we just wanna be whole

Sledge moved up onto the stage. "That was great ladies. No one seems louder than the others. Val, your kit is up here, are you sure you want to do it tonight, you haven't done it in a few weeks."

"I'm sure, gives me more practice," she told him. "Thanks Sledge."

He hopped off the stage, heading over to the guys, while the girls drank from bottles of water.

"Kit?" Happy asked.

Sledge nodded. "Yeah, Val has this… trick she does after one of their songs. It's… something to see, but scares the fuck out of me." As he walked away, the men barely made out his muttered words, "Little fuckin' pyros, all of 'em."

Suddenly, a squealing of tires broke the relative quiet of the afternoon. The guys moved quickly from the garage, Tig handed out weapons, and all ran towards the girls thinking they'd need to protect them. A metallic purple Honda Civic came tearing around the corner, only hitting the brakes when it passed the gate into the lot, skidding several yards. The Civic had little paw prints all over it. There was a horrible screeching noise that made the guys wince for the poor car. The girls were running towards the car much to Clay's chagrin. The driver-side door flew open and a girl jumped out.

"That's Michelle O'CHallarin," Juice told Jax. He'd come across pictures of the extremely petite girl when researching the others.

"Mouse!" Sam yelled, sweeping the girl into a hug.

Mouse, was maybe five foot one, her long brown hair pulled into pigtails on either side of her head, she was wearing a Corona tank top and cut off denim shorts. "ohmygoshohmygosh, where is he?"

"Where is who, Mousey?" Toni spoke slowly. Mouse was in panic mode and they needed to stay calm so she would calm down.

Mouse's face brightened, "You mean I beat him here?" she fist pumped the air, "I am invincible a!" The girl did a little dance, stopped and started babbling. "As soon as I found out, I didn't even think about it, I just got in the car and drove. I didn't even stop to pee, and you know how I am on long car rides, and I do seriously need to pee, but first we need to do something…." Her eyes were flickering around, taking in the bikers, and anything that might help. "Like lock the gates, circle the wagons… or hide!" she finished, and then she began nodding, "Yes, hiding is definitely the answer." The girl stepped forward and grabbed Val's arm, "Let's go, time to hide."

Jax frowned and moved closer to the blonde and new girl. Why would Val need to hide?

"Michelle, what the hell is going on?" Sledge snapped.

"Oh, hey Sledge," she said cheerfully. "Um, we gotta hide Val."

"Why?" Kes questioned.

Mouse frowned. "I thought I explained that…" she looked at the men surrounding them, "Didn't I explain that?"

"Not really, Darlin," Jax thought this girl could rival Juice with the ADHD thing.

"Not at all," Juice muttered, and hoped he never sounded like that.

"Oh! Well duh," Mouse took a deep breath, and then blurted it out, "Ash is coming."

And judging by the reactions of the Texas group, this was not welcome news. Kes's hands began clenching, Toni was almost vibrating with rage, Sam had wrapped her arms around herself in her unhappiness, and Val… she'd taken a step back like she'd been slapped.

"Fuck," Sledge sighed heavily.

"Exactly, hence the hiding," Mouse pointed out.

"Michelle, is that your name," Clay asked.

She gave him a bright smile, "Technically, but everyone calls me Mouse."

"Ok," Clay just decided to go with it. "Mouse who is Ash, and how far behind you is he."

"Oh… OH, you don't know about ASH," Mouse realized, her eyes flickering to the other girls.

The men looked to the four girls too. They had made their faces blank, and hadn't moved.

The sound of a Harley engine could be heard quickly approaching. Everyone turned to look at the gates, and Jax saw Val take another step back.

"That would be Ash," the tiny girl muttered.

Val took out a cigarette and lit it with shaking hands. Sam moved closer to the blonde and wrapped her arm around the other girl's waist. Kes stepped forward, in front of Val, and Toni moved to the blonde's other side.

Jax got it. Circling the wagons. They were circling Val, putting her in the most secure area. Protecting her. Sledge was cracking his knuckles. Jax moved closer to the women. He noticed Happy following his lead. Kozik went to stand next to Juice who was near the women at the new stage.

A bike rounded the corner, and the man driving shut it off and slid off, moving towards the group. He took off his helmet, to reveal blonde hair cut in some trendy style. He stood about six foot, and looked like he probably worked out. Jax could see how girls could think he was attractive. "Fuck Michelle, couldn't you just butt the fuck out?" The man yelled. He was carrying a UPS mailer.

"No actually, I really couldn't," she moved up getting in his way. Brave little thing, since currently there was no one on the lot smaller than her.

"Move, I'm giving this to Val," he sneered. His kutte showed he was a member of the SOAHTC crew. He kept moving forward.

Jax had a feeling this was the 'pretty' boy boyfriend that shoved Val off a wall. From the look on his brothers' faces they had that feeling too. It looked like Tig was moving forward extremely slowly so as not to be noticed.

"Man maybe we would have had a better relationship if you bitches stayed the fuck out of our lives!"

Mouse started jumping up and down in front of him, trying to block him and take the large envelope from him at the same time. "No!" she shouted. "You aren't supposed to even be here. Bruno said you couldn't come, AND he said not to give that to them! Don't make me call Bruno!"

"Mouse step back sweets," Val told the smaller girl, and stepping forward. Toni reached forward, stopping the blonde's forward momentum.

Suddenly the man, reached out, his hand covering Mouse's face and he shoved the small girl down. She cried out in surprise, and he spat out, "Little rat."

All of SAMCRO that stood in the parking lot drew on the man. That stopped his forward movement. And then Tig's fist was planted in Ash's face.

"What the fuck!" he dropped to his ass rubbing his jaw. "Whoa, guys, I'm a Son." He announced, holding his arms up.

"Yeah, we got that shithead, seeing your kutte and all," Clay snapped.

"Son, we do not take kindly to women being mistreated here." Chibs told the cocky younger man. Juice had moved over to help Mouse stand. Val also moved over. Mouse was wincing as she tried to put weight on her ankle.

"What the fuck do you want, Varner?" Val asked wearily. Just her tone of voice had Jax frowning.

"Babe, first we need to talk. I know you're mad, but I think talking is seriously important right now. I brought you some mail, and I'm here to protect you."

"First, don't call me Babe. Second, there is NOTHING we have to discuss. And third I would rather have a sleepover with a serial killer than have you protect me. I've got plenty of protection," she motioned to the men who were still aiming their weapons at him.

"She's not going anywhere with you, Fuckface," Kes hissed at him. "The last time she went somewhere alone with you she ended up looking like the bride of Frankenstein."

Val grabbed the envelope and walked away from him, Sam close behind.

"Val, Sam, no don't look," Mouse's voice trailed off in distress.

Toni and Kes ran to the other two girls as they began to weep quietly. Mouse was forcing Juice to help her move to them.

Mouse slapped his hand, "Move me over there 'Last of the Mohawkens! My sisters are CRYING!" The Puerto Rican just rolled his eyes at her bossy attitude.

Clay looked at Jax, "Keep on him." Jax was nodding before he had finished speaking. Clay walked over to the ladies he was supposed to be protecting, patting Tig's shoulder as he walked by. "Let me see," he told them gently. He looked at the contents of the envelope silently, then looked at the girls. "You do not need to see this anymore, understand?"

The girls were nodding. The five were now standing, and had all five foreheads together. Juice just waited a few steps behind because he knew the tiny girl had a hurt ankle.

Clay faced the other man. "Your name is Ash?" Ash Varner nodded. "Why the fuck would you go against your President's wishes, bring this trash here, and make those girls look at it?"

Ash began frowning. "Because they need to know how serious this shit is! Bruno can't just keep them in the dark and think that will protect them."

"Bullshit," Toni managed through a clenched jaw, striding over. "You want Val to be scared, thinking she'll take you back! Well guess what AssHat, she will NEVER take you back. NEVER."

"It's none of your fucking business!" the blonde man yelled at Toni.

"You don't even know how fucking wrong you are," Toni was furious. "Maybe that's another reason yall didn't make it. You could never understand that we are everything to each other. I love Sledge with everything I am, but if my sisters hadn't liked or accepted him, I wouldn't be with him today. We," she motioned to herself and the other women, "are a package deal."

Val had managed to stop crying, she could already see Gemma moving to her and the others from the office. "We're a package deal," she repeated Toni's last words, and held up her hand with five fingers splayed out. "Five points to a star. Bruno told you to leave me alone. But you just keep pushing. And you're delusional if you think I would think about you in any positive way again."

Gemma had moved to Clay first and looked at the pictures in the envelope, "Jesus Christ," she muttered and moved to wrap her arms around Val and move her back to Sam, who she also pulled into a hug. "You're a fucking monster makin' these girls see that. If you don't get off my lot and stay away from my girls, I will kick you in the balls so hard you'll taste the dirt on the bottom of my shoes."

Sledge hit the end button on his phone. "Bruno says get your ass back to the Clubhouse. Yesterday." Sledge stepped forward barely containing his rage, the only thing reigning him in was the fact that the girls needed him to keep his cool. "And let me make something clear, these girls are MY family, and until they bestow the honor to another man to care for them, that is my job. You are riding on that thin line of where I just decide you not existing is better all around."

Ash looked over at Val. "You honestly think you'll ever find someone else? Someone who'll put up with your fucked up childhood? Having to deal with your fucking sisters in every part of your business? You can't ever date someone who isn't part of the Club. You could never bring them home. Dating another member? Well they're going to laugh in your face when it comes to your little view on the rules. Like fucking you would be enough."

Jax didn't know why but that made him snap. He stepped forward and grabbed the man by the shirt under his kutte. "If you don't want me to have my friends Happy and Tig over there," Ash saw the smiles on the men and shivered, "cut you into little pieces, you'll get off this lot, and not look back." Jax flung the smaller man backwards, and headed over to pull Val into a hug. It broke his heart a little bit the way she clutched at him. His mom put her hand on his lower back in support.

"Him!" Ash started to laugh. "The Prince of SAMCRO? You think HE'LL follow your little monogamy issues. You are fucked in the head."

Val didn't correct him. She and Jax weren't like that. She knew that Ash was telling the truth there. Jax was heir to SAMCRO, he could do what he wanted; he could do WHO he wanted.

Ash turned around, and headed back to his bike. "You'll come back eventually Val." He sounded smug. Within moments he was driving off the lot.

Jax leaned back looking in the navy blue eyes of the girl who was only sniffling now.

"I shouldn't let him get to me," she stated, and took a step back away from him. "Sorry for crying on you."

She seemed so subdued, so unlike what he'd seen from her so far. "Not a problem, Darlin'."

Mouse had managed to bully Juice into moving her right next to Sam. "I'm sorry I couldn't stop him."

Val walked over, "Oh Mousie, what did you hurt when he pushed you?"

"I can't believe that Douche pushed me," she said in a shocked tone. "It's just my ankle... and maybe my ass, from where I fell on it. I bet it'll leave a mark." She shrugged. "I'll survive."

"Chibs," Clay had to only say his name and the Scotsman was over to help the petite girl.

"Let's take a look at that ankle, Lass. Make sure it's not broken."

"Wow I could listen to you talk for HOURS." She sat at the end of the stage and held up her foot for him. "It's my own fault, I came at him from the front. I should have jumped on his back." She turned big brown eyes over to Jax, "You should have let your friends cut him into little pieces."

"Church," Clay announced.

The men began trailing their President, Tig talking to Happy. "I like that one. She's vicious."

"I think they're all vicious," Happy offered.

"Yeah," Kozik agreed, but the tone of voice said he didn't mind it at all.

89898989

(Songs: Mz Hyde—Halestorm, Blow Me One Last Kiss—Pink, We Are Broken—Paramore)


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I do not own, or make profit from The Son of Anarchy, nor do I own or make profit from any of the music used in the story.

I do not condone the use of alcohol, drugs, and/or violence.

**I will include parenthesis with the initial to show who sings what. ex. (V) (S) (T) (K) (B)-both (A)-all

89999888

The men took their spots around the table, and Clay clacked the gavel. "I'm gonna pass this around, so you can all see what that bastard handed to the girls. Bruno did not tell me that the harassment was this bad."

Jax got the folder first. It was filled with pictures. They were pictures of women being tortured in sick and twisted ways. Snuff pictures. The faces had been scratched out, an initial drawn in the empty space. Either a V or an S. There was only one piece of paper with writing on it besides the initials, and all it said was SOON. He passed the folder on. He couldn't imagine having to view those images on a regular basis, and knowing it was directed at you.

"Fuck," Tig muttered, "this is sick even to me."

"Maybe we can find that little shit before he gets too far away," Kozik was scowling. "Why would he bring this to those girls?"

"I think Sledge's Old Lady had the right of it," Chibs stated. "If he could na scare her into taking him back I noticed he tried to hurt her as much possible. Like drawing attention to the monogamy she desires. The boy saw Jax as a threat, so what did he do? Pointed out to Valeria that not only Jax, but anyone from one of the Clubs would do the same as he did. Thas to keep her away from startin' something with another Son. If he makes sure she does na see any difference between him and any other Son, well then, that'll keep her alone."

"If I had an Old Lady," Juice began slowly, "and she was everything those girls are, and she loved me, and I felt the same, then I wouldn't have a problem saying no on the road."

"That's why I don't have an Old Lady," Tig shrugged.

"Just keep an eye out for anything strange, and making sure that little fuck doesn't come back." Clay told his boys, and banged the gavel. He didn't do it often, take advantage of being out on the road, but… it was making him think.

8989898

The kitchen was quiet that evening as the girls prepared dinner. Donna was helping Kes and Val cook for everyone, Toni was sitting at the bar with Gemma, Mouse, and Sam, but Sam just kept staring off into space.

Mouse looked at Gemma who had been so nice since she got there. "I would have paid money to see you kick him in the balls," she whispered loudly. At first there were only smiles, but then the giggles broke out.

Sam smiled, "Oh Mousie, I'm so glad you're here."

"What about your job?" Toni asked, naming the reason she hadn't come with them to start with.

"Oh, hehe," Mouse swallowed. "I quit."

"OH, no Michelle!" Val turned to look at the smallest of her sisters. "You loved that job!"

"Val, I am amazing at what I do, I can get another one," Mouse told the blonde, "You guys are way more important."

"You are amazing, Michelle," Sam said quietly. "I'm glad you know that."

The sons entered the Club to the strange quiet. It had been filled with so much fun the last few days, that it just got them more pissed with the guy who'd showed up to cause problems earlier.

Kes looked at them and smiled, "Dinner is served."

About a half hour into dinner the girls got up cleaning off their spaces. The blonde who had been with Tig the night before had shown up early that evening, and was already waving them away and doing dishes. "I'll clean-up for you ladies." she offered, startling the men. She had only been around the Clubhouse for a few weeks. She just kept talking to the girls. "I love your band by the way, I should have recognized you last night, but I checked through my downloads when I got home, and found your stuff right away." That was the reason she had shown up early. Well sort of. She wanted to talk to them, yes, but it was also to see HIM. She liked Tig. He was good in bed, and yes, sometimes he liked to play rough, but so did she. But she knew that Tig didn't pick the same girl twice in a row. Maybe he'd pick her again another time. He was sexy, and crazy, and smart, and tough, and funny, and, and… she just had to be careful not to show she had preferences. He would never pick her again if he thought she had a crush on him.

Val gave her a smile. The girls around the club hadn't been so bad thus far, a few bitches, but this girl was the sweetest. "Thanks, what's your name?"

"Vinessa, but my friends call me Vinnie," the girl smiled brightly. These girls were so nice!

Tig was speechless, he didn't think anyone there at the Clubhouse called her that. He knew her name, but she'd never told the Sons to call her Vinnie. She was a petite little thing, just a couple inches taller than Mouse, with long, dark blonde hair, all one length, big brown eyes, and full lips. She didn't dress like the other Crow-eaters, meaning she wore clothing that covered her body, but they emphasized her assets. Which she definitely had.

"What of our stuff do you have Vinnie," Kes asked.

"Well, I have what you played last night, What Sober Couldn't Say. That is totally the song I listen to when I think of my ex-fiance. I also have I Like It Heavy, The Reckoning, UR Hand, I have a lot of them. Too many to just keep naming," Vinnie giggled.

"Well thank you," Toni had walked over to join them. "What's your favorite?"

"UR Hand," Vinnie blushed, "Well that one and that OTHER special one you sing… the one you all didn't write." Tig felt weird he didn't know why he was paying so much attention to her. He'd been done with her the night before, right? But he didn't think he'd heard her talk much. And she'd SMILED when she saw him.

Val smirked at the other girl. "That special one does seem to be a favorite for some."

"Well, then, I hope you'll be out listening tonight, and we'll definitely play UR Hand for you." Sam told her.

Vinnie gave a little hop, "Oh my gosh, thanks! I will be out there! There are a lot of us here that listen to you all. DOD is the best. I even have tickets to one of the summer festival concerts. That is going to be like on huge party."

"We have to go get ready," Val admitted, "But hey, catch up with us later, and we'll hang out." Her offer brought another brilliant smile to the other blonde's face.

Gemma was watching the Crow-eater. She was a newer girl. Seemed sweet, maybe she'd keep an eye out for her. The girl was washing the dishes and didn't seem to have a problem with it.

"What's DOD?" Tig asked.

Mouse turned to him with a mouth open in shock. "You don't even know the name of their band?"

Vinnie giggled, and gave Tig a big smile, only confusing him further. "DOD, Daughters of Darkness." she explained "I don't know why they aren't on a world tour or something."

Mouse shrugged, "They don't want to be huge; they just want to be heard." She turned to face her brother in law, "Sledge will you take me to the others so I can change?"

"Sure," the biker moved over, turning his back, and she put her arms around his neck so he could carry her piggyback.

Donna took a step out of her comfort zone, "Vinnie, do you need help with the dishes?" she blushed slightly as not only Vinnie gave her a bright smile, but Gemma looked proud of her.

"No way, you cooked! When I was growing up, whoever cooked did not clean up. I have… had six brothers and three sisters, so normally we'd pair up. Living in the dorms now I don't get a chance to do this."

"Oh, you're in college," Donna asked. "What are you studying?"

Vinnie blushed, "Law."

Gemma snorted. "Law? Like to become an attorney? What the hell do you want to hang out here for then?"

Vinnie held up her chin proudly. "I got a full ride scholarship to go to Law School. And I figure, you can't ever have too many lawyers looking out for you. When I graduate, if the Club needs me, I could help."

As far as Gemma was concerned this Vinnie had just moved up the Crow-eater ladder, straight to the top. One of her boys could do worse than to take a girl like this as an Old Lady.

People started showing up and the drinks started flowing. The girls had gone to get ready on the bus. When the music started in the parking lot, it was startling to some of those who weren't expecting live music. Then they heard a male voice yell, 'Holy Fuck!'

Opie looked concerned, Donna had gone out there with Gemma and Vinnie to wait for the girls to start playing. He headed or the doors not realizing Jax, Happy, and Juice were right behind him. Then they caught sight of the stage.

"Holy" Juice started.

"Fuck," Jax finished.

There was already a crowd starting to build up around the stage, and a majority of them were Crow-eaters, but there were plenty of men certainly making their way over.

Val approached the microphone. "Hi! Thanks for letting us play for yall! The first one we're going to sing is for the Sons who've been so good to us."

(V)I'm so bored with

This world that spins around me

Used to make me dizzy

And I'm so tired of

These boys that hang around me

Used to drive me crazy

Val was wearing something that looked like shiny, purple latex. It was a simple band that ran around her tits, and Jax was positive that if she kept bouncing like that it was going to fall down. Now he understood what Sam meant about Val's pants falling off. Skintight, made of the same material as the top, and the pants were as low as the dimples in her back, giving an enticing view of her ass. The sides of the pants were made of a series of snaps, which left gaps of skin showing all the way down. Enough gaps to know she was not wearing underwear.

(V)A little mayhem never hurt anyone

(A)When am I gonna get some

(V)A little bedlam 'til I'm coming undone

(A)Where am I gonna get some

(V)A little mayhem never hurt anyone

(A)How am I gonna get some, get some, get some

A little bedlam 'til I'm coming undone

How am I gonna get some, get some, get some, oh

The guys cheered when they heard 'Mayhem'. Val met Jax's gaze and winked. Toni was wearing a bikini top made of the same material as Val's only in yellow. And she wore a micro-mini skirt. Kes was in a top like Val's in blue, and matching blue bootie shorts.

(V)Grueling tensions

Want me in a spiral

I'm waiting to unravel

Twisted motives

Drive me in a circle

I'm dying to untangle

(V)A little mayhem never hurt anyone

(A)When am I gonna get some

(V)A little bedlam 'til I'm coming undone

(A)Where am I gonna get some

(V)A little mayhem never hurt anyone

(A)How am I gonna get some, get some, get some

A little bedlam 'til I'm coming undone

How am I gonna get some, get some, get some, oh, oh, oh

Sam wore a shiny latex red dress, with the sides cut out from right under her breasts to her hips, only going to mid-thigh. The top of the dress had one strap over her right shoulder.

(V)I wanna feel the rave house

I wanna hear the uproar

A little pandemonium

I know I'm not the only one

I wanna be thrown away

I wanna feel the walls shake

I wanna feel the walls shake

I wanna feel the walls shakin', shakin', shakin', shakin'

One, two, three, four, oh

(A)Looking for some mayhem

Need a little mayhem

Need a little mayhem

Looking for some mayhem

Looking for some mayhem, yeah, yeah

Need a little mayhem

Want to hear some mayhem, yeah

"That was for the Men of Mayhem," Val announced, and moved to take a swig of water.

Sam approached the mike, "This next song is for our new, badass, awesome friend, Vinnie. Thanks for downloading our music." She put her bass down, while Val picked hers up, and Sam approached the mike again as the others began playing.

(S)Check it out goin' out on the late night

Lookin' tight feeling nice, it's a cock fight

I can tell I just know that it's going down, tonight

At the door we don't wait 'cause we know them

At the bar six shots just beginnin'

That's when dickhead put his hands on me

But ya see

(A)I'm not here for your entertainment

You don't really wanna mess with me tonight

Just stop and take a second

I was fine before you walked into my life

'Cause you know it's over, before it began

Keep your drink just give me the money

It's just you and your hand tonight

Sam let her eyes take in everyone watching, dancing and singing as they performed. Then her eyes met a dark gaze and she felt her heart rate increase. All she wanted to do was keep hold of his attention.

(S)Midnight I'm drunk, I don't give a fuck

Wanna dance by myself guess you're out of luck

Don't touch, back up, I'm not the one

Buh-bye

Listen up it's just not happenin'

You can say what you want to your boyfriends

Just let me have my fun tonight aight

(A)I'm not here for your entertainment

You don't really wanna mess with me tonight

Just stop and take a second

I was fine before you walked into my life

'Cause you know it's over, before it began

Keep your drink just give me the money

It's just you and your hand tonight

(K) Uh uh uh uh uh uh uh oh

Break break

Break it down

(T)You're in the corner with your boys, you bet them five bucks

You'd get the girl that just walked in, but she thinks you suck

We didn't get all dressed up just for you to see

So quit spilling your drinks on me

(V)You know you are

High five and talking shit

But you are going home alone

Aren't ya?

(A)Cause I'm not here for your entertainment, No

You don't really want to mess with me tonight

Just stop and take a second

Just stop and take a second

I was fine before you walked into my life

Cause you know it's over

Know it's over

Before it began

Keep your drink just give me the money

It's just you and your hand tonight

It's just you and your hand

I'm not here for your entertainment

No no no

You don't really want to mess with me tonight

Just stop and take a second

Just take a second

I was fine before you walked into my life

Cause you know it's over

Before it began

Keep your drink just give me the money

It's just you and your hand tonight

(S)Yeah oh

The girls didn't just stand there and play. They played to the audience. Dancing, bending their bodies, motioning to the crowd. And the crowd went wild. The girls were all smiling and laughing at and with each other.

They did a few more songs, Toni and Kes also singing. Val took Kes's spot behind the drums for her song. Jax was pretty sure there was no one left inside the Club. He about had a heart attack when Val sang a song, I Am the Fire, and at the end, she picked up a bottle of vodka, took a big gulp and sprayed it out, using a lighter to set the vodka on fire, like fire-eaters at the fuckin' circus or something. It was spectacular to see, but all he could envision is the fire falling back on her.

Tig had found Vinnie again, which was unusual, he didn't usually stick with the same girl two nights in a row. But, even with how rough he'd been with her the night before, she'd let him come up behind her, and wrap his arms around her, while she listened, sang along, and danced to the music. Her easy acceptance had soothed him. She had smiled like she was actually happy to see him.

Gemma couldn't believe how amazing these girls were. Though, she wanted to swat Valeria on the bottom for scaring the shit out of her with the fire thing. She knew there had been a lot of heartache in their young lives, they fit in perfectly in this fucked up family. They soaked up any affection Gemma gave them. It made her sad that eventually they'd go back to Houston. However, there looked to be some mutual staring between certain parties, and she would maybe keep her fingers crossed. Sure, before they'd gotten there she'd been worried about them tramping after her boys, but now she didn't see how her boys could do better.

Val strode up to the mike, she had her guitar back on, and she was a little breathless from all the dancing. "We have one last song to play. Now, we didn't write this one…" There were a few excited squeals from the crowd, and the women on stage gave a laugh. "But a good friend of ours did. And this song," She stopped and started gesturing to the crowd. "This song is dedicated to ALL of you ladies out there. All you ladies that don't get NEAR the appreciation you deserve!" Kes was laughing in the back.

"So Gentlemen," Sam boomed into the microphone, "If you don't want to hear a filthy song, get the fuck out of here."

As soon as they started the music, all of the women were screaming. The sons looked at each other sort of laughing, and confused. But then Val started singing, and the Sons who'd been taking a drink did a spit-take.

(V) All you ladies pop your pussy like this, (she, Sam and Toni were making rhythmic hip motions)  
Shake your body don't stop, don't miss  
All you ladies pop your pussy like this,  
Shake your body don't stop, don't miss  
Just do it, do it, do it, do it, do it now  
Right now lick it good  
Suck this pussy just like you should  
My neck, my back  
Lick my pussy and my crack  
My neck, my back  
Lick my pussy and my crack

(S) First you gotta put your neck into it  
Don't stop, just do it do it  
Then you roll your tongue from the crack up to the front  
Then ya suck it off 'til I shake and cum  
Make sure I keep busting nuts  
All over your face and stuff  
Got me making so much love  
So lick it now, lick it good  
Suck this pussy just like you should  
Right now, lick it good  
Suck this pussy just like you should  
My neck, my back  
Lick my pussy and my crack  
My neck, my back  
Lick my pussy and my crack

Vinnie was dancing in front of Tig, and his eyes just stayed on her swaying hips.

(V) You might rolls dubs, you might have G's  
But fuck that player get on your knees

Bitch like me moans and screams  
Real thug misses know what I mean  
At the club, so fresh, so clean  
Unit on my face, so mean  
Gotta pick which man I need  
Real thug better satisfy me

Val moved to the front of the stage and motioned for everyone to sing the next part with them.

Try me player, I'll make you see  
(A) Them bitches ain't got shit on me

The girls in the crowd SCREAMED it.

(S) So lick it now, lick it good  
Suck this pussy just like you should  
Right now, lick it good  
Suck this pussy just like you should  
My neck, my back  
Lick my pussy and my crack  
My neck, my back  
Lick my pussy and my crack

98989898.

(Songs: Mayhem—Halestorm; U + UR Hand—Pink; Mentioned I Am the Fire—Halestorm; My Neck, My Back—written by Khia, but I heard it performed by Elle King)

A/N: I'm positive the burning flame vodka thing is not how it really works. But it's my fiction.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I do not own, or make profit from The Son of Anarchy, nor do I own or make profit from any of the music used in the story.

I do not condone the use of alcohol, drugs, and/or violence.

**I will include parenthesis with the initial to show who sings what. ex. (V) (S) (T) (K) (B)-both (A)-all

Another little note. This story is going to mainly focus on Val and Jax, but I will sill be writing all of them.

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The girls headed off the stage laughing. They hadn't played a lot, because they weren't sure Clay wanted that, but it had been good practice. Sledge swooped in on Toni, whispering in her ear. He smacked her butt and picked her up, throwing her over his shoulders, causing Toni to squeal. The other four girls laughed at their sister.

"You kids have a good time," Kes said.

"Don't do anything I wouldn't do," Sam added.

"That isn't much" Mouse snickered, then yelled after the couple. "Remember there are neighboring rooms. Be kind."

Kes smirked, "Instead of the Hokey Pokey, they shall be playing, the Pokey Pokey." Her words made Sam burst into laughter.

"Do you need condoms?" Val shouted, and they all laughed as Sledge just kept walking… while he flipped them off. Val sighed, "Oh what would that man have done with his life if he hadn't met us?"

"Bored and sad," Mouse responded.

"Wouldn't be having a LICK of fun," Sam said. It was quiet for two seconds before they all started snorting.

The girls turned, and jumped as they found the Sons behind them. Well at least Jax, Happy, Chibs, Juice, and Kozik.

"Look, men!" Mouse said brightly. "And they're men with muscles! Eventually I'm going to need help back to the dorms, and Sledge left."

Kes rubbed her face, "Oh Mousie. How you boys doin' tonight?"

"Interesting song choice," Kozik spoke first. Now that the drummer was facing him, he couldn't ogle her ass in those blue hot pants, but the front was fucking amazing too.

Val raised her fist in the air, "Girl Power," she said in a monotone. She was going to make another joke, but then she got caught in the deep blue gaze of Jackson Teller. He was smirking, and it was HOT. This was bad. Nothing could happen. He wasn't boyfriend material. Well, for someone he was, but not for her… not for what she wanted. But oh she WANTED him. He was smart, funny, easy to talk to, and fucking hot. He wasn't pretty. He was beautiful. Was she strong enough to have a summer fling? Something casual, with no expectations, or strings. Because that's what he'd want. Because Sons didn't do monogamous, Ash hadn't been wrong there.

Jax could see the wheels spinning behind those beautiful eyes. "Go for a ride?"

She tensed for a second, and then said, "Sure, let me get a jacket."

"Well, I think I'm going to go watch the fighting in the ring," Kes said, her eyes widening at the sudden tension.

"I think I'll join you," Sam murmured. Instant worry filled her as she saw her sister, her best friend and the Prince of SAMCRO seemingly lost in each other.

The two girls started walking, and Happy moved quickly, catching up to Sam, and wrapping his arm around her shoulder. She didn't look at him, but she smiled a little.

"Talk about the UST there," Kes murmured to Sam.

"UST?" Kozik looked confused.

Sam nodded, "Unresolved. Sexual. Tension."

Kozik chuckled, "I doubt that will be around for long."

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"No need," Jax said and then he was shrugging his jacket off and wrapping it around her. "Ready?"

Val nodded and the two walked away.

Mouse looked at Juice, "Please tell me I was not the only one who thought the heat from those two was going to boil me alive."

Juice chuckled, "Come on, Shortie, I'll take you where you wanna go."

Mouse gave him a bright smile, and hopped on his back. "Let's go get a drink! You know, you're super-hot."

Juice almost tripped but managed to stay upright, but his face felt like it was on fire.

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Val slipped her arms into the sleeves of Jax's jacket. It was so warm, and it smelled like him. He helped her onto the bike behind him, and after they put their helmets on, he  
took off. Val wrapped her arms around him and laid her cheek on his back. Jax Teller exuded heat.

After a while he pulled off the road, and parked the bike. He helped her off the bike and led her in further, where there was a small clearing. He slowly maneuvered her until  
her back was against a tree, but he didn't push, just stayed in her personal space.

Jax couldn't believe she'd come with him. She had every reason to be skittish with him. But everything within Jax was telling him he had to win Valeria Winters over. He looked down into her beautiful face. She was looking at him with her wide navy eyes, and he slid his hand up on her cheek, while his other hand pulled her closer. "I'm gonna kiss you, Val. Are you okay with that?"

She nodded, "Yes."

Jax sighed in relief lowering his face, and brushing her check with the tip of his nose before lowering his mouth to hers. He held her to him, one hand around her back, one buried in her hair. Both of her arms went around his neck, pulling him closer. Neither sped up the kiss. He didn't try to remove her clothing. God he wanted to. It would be so easy to pop the snaps on that barely there top and those sinful pants. He wanted to have her, to take her, mark her, but he didn't. Jax knew he was going to have to show some constraint. That didn't mean he didn't take advantage of running his hands over the bare flesh that was there.

Their mouths just slid against each other, and Val thought she could stay here and just kiss Jax forever. She didn't let that scare her. Val wanted this, whatever this was. She wanted it for the short time she'd be able to have it.

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Sam stood with Kes watching the fighters in the ring. Her heartbeat was still a bit accelerated, but she was sure that was because Happy stood right behind her, her back held tight to his front, and his two muscled, strong arms wrapped around her waist. Occasionally he would kiss her neck or shoulder, and that drew a sigh from her, and she kept relaxing even more against him. Sam had a feeling that by the time he was done with her neck and shoulder, she was going to be a puddle of goo.

Kes, and the blonde Son named Kozik, were talking about the fights and how Kes wanted to get in the ring.

Sam tried to pay attention, she really did, but it just wasn't happening. The arms wrapped around her were long enough to touch the bare skin of her waist and hips where the dresses cut outs were. For a moment a hand would grip her hip tight, and then he just brushed fingertips across her belly. Sam kept a running mantra in her head, 'I am not hooking up tonight, I am not hooking up tonight, I am not hooking up tonight… but maybe tomorrow'.

Happy just kept his hands on her. If his hands were on her it meant everyone could see who she BELONGED to. Had to make sure he got that point across real fucking quick, cuz some of the hang arounds didn't know to keep their eyeballs in their heads when it came to any of the women from Texas. Happy thought that she might be worried he would try to fuck her that night, but he had no intentions to. He wanted to. Couldn't imagine anything better than carting her off to his dorm, but Happy had patience. And showing Sam that she was his was going to be a long game.

Kozik listened as Kes talked enthusiastically about being allowed in the ring back home. He couldn't say he liked the idea, but he could definitely tell she was tough. "We could possibly set up something up during the day. Let Clay see how you handle it. Make sure Chibs was there in case of any injuries." But who could she spar with? That would take some thought. They didn't want her to get hurt.

Kes had stopped talking and was actually watching the blonde man in front of her. Even back home the guys were reluctant that she spar, but Kozik was working out a way to arrange for her to go into that ring. Barely thinking about what she was doing, her small body slammed into his, her hands pulling his head down so she could meld their lips together. He seemed startled for a moment, but got with the program quickly. Which was good because she'd hate to have to kick his ass due to stupidity.

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Despite the swirling pheromones and sexual tension, everyone slept in their own beds that night, and at four am, the five girls met at the bus. Even Mouse was moving better after a night of icing her ankle. They were as quiet as possible, not wanting to draw any attention to themselves. Val and Sam had retrieved the five stuffed hiker's backpacks, and they moved to the gates.

After they got about halfway where they were going to, they stopped and moved into the thick brush. The girls had spent a lot of time at night Google Mapping, and using Google Earth. Val pointed up in trees to a deer blind. "Okay Mouse, you're lookout this time, I don't want you reinjuring your ankle.

Mouse nodded. She didn't want to reinjure it either. Although if she did, she'd just keep that Hottie McHotterton, Juice as her personal carriage. The man had a mouth made for sin. Plus, sometimes being the lookout was fun. They made sure she got up into the deer blind, and got set up with snacks, water, and a blue tooth unit that hooked up to the other four and acted like a hand held radio, or instant communications. It had taken Michelle a while to find them, and they'd been expensive, but every time they wore them she felt badass, like a spy.

The other four girls slapped hands, giggling, and headed off to the lake with the little used bridge over it.

"You guys ready for some fun?" Sam smirked.

"Hell yeah!" Toni whooped. They plugged into the Bluetooth, and made sure they could hear Mouse and she could hear them.

"Let's do this shit!" Val said with a gleam in her eyes.

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It was a quiet Sunday morning. Tig was kissing Vinnie goodbye when the rest of the guys came out to smoke and have some coffee. Vinnie gave a small wave to everyone and took off to her small Prius.

Chibs was looking back and forth between the exiting girl, and his old friend. He wasn't sure if he should say anything.

Happy obviously didn't have that problem. "She stay with you all night?"

"Yeah," Tig responded tensing.

"Good choice," Happy grunted. He didn't know why he was up so early. Maybe it had something to do with seeing a pair of sparkling brown eyes. It was eight in the morning, and strangely enough the girls weren't up and moving around.

"Is it me, or does it seem really quiet out here?" Juice asked hesitantly. The others looked over at him, but didn't disagree.

Sledge came tearing out of the Clubhouse. "Where are the girls?" he snapped out.

"We thought they were still sleepin," Jax answered.

Sledge started rubbing his forehead. "I fucking knew it had been too calm. Too quiet. Luring me in with a false sense of security."

"What are ye goin' on about, Lad," Chibs asked.

"The girls are not here." Sledge announced.

"What the fuck?" Juice's mouth fell open in shock.

"Did you check the bus?" Tig asked, already moving over to it. He walked in and walked right back out. "Nope."

"You checked all of their dorm rooms?" Jax asked uncertainly.

"What do you think?" Sledge asked, his voice heavy with sarcasm.

"Shit," Jax stood, as did the other Sons. "Well, someone has to tell Clay. Juice," Jax began.

"Why me!? Juice squeaked. "How about Half Sack."

"Yeah, okay," Jax agreed.

"What's up guys," Bobby asked as both he and Kozik met up with them.

"The girls did a runner," Sledge sighed. "Do you guys have a CB Radio around here that works?"

Bobby nodded and everyone trooped over to the tow truck.

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They had rigged the harness on Kes, and she'd managed to climb high in the tree. "What am I supposed to do now?"

"There should be three flat ropes, they go in the grooves on the chest and waist of the harness," Val explained. "Then use the cinch and tighten the blue rope. When there's  
no give, clip the hook."

Kes took a few deep breaths. "Ok I'm ready."

"Hit the release," Toni squealed excitedly.

"Holy shit!" Kes came flying down the rope, not nearly as spinny or graceful as they thought would happen. "That sucked." Kes was pouting.

"My turn," Val chirped. They'd drawn straws and it went Kes, Val, Sam and Toni. They thought if they could experience the first fall, they could figure out the technical issues.

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"Okay, turn it on and slowly change the channels, let's hope we can hear something." Sledge instructed.

About ten channels in Bobby hit pay-dirt. By then Clay had joined them.

"How ya sittin' up there, Sam" Toni's voice asked.

"This is both fucking awesome and terrifying," Sam's voice sounded breathless coming over the radio. "I might pee myself." In the background you could hear girls chuckling.

"I'm kind of bummed," Kes stated, "because I didn't love it like I thought I would."

"Guys," Mouse's whisper came over the radio. "There's a car coming… I think it's that douche Deputy Sheriff who was hitting on Valli girl on Thursday at the diner. Everyone  
out of sight?"

Now the others were whispering. "We're covered."

"Oh. My. God," Mouse's voice was filled with horror. Juice looked alarmed.

"Talk to me Mouse, you need a rescue?" Val asked seriously.

"I need my eyeballs and brain bleached, Valeria," Mouse squeaked. "He whipped it out and just took a piss about twenty yards away."

The other girls were trying to hide their snickers. "I'm so sorry, Mousie," Sam managed before snorting. "That must have been horribly traumatic."

"How big was it?" Kes asked.

"Did ya get a picture?" Toni asked.

"What do you take me for?" Mouse asked indignantly. Her next words shocked everyone listening around the CB. "Of COURSE I got a picture. A few actually. I should have filmed it. He had to take a really long piss. And I'm going to make ALL of you look at them! He's gone now. Back to the mission!"

"What the fuck are they doing?" Tig asked.

"I don't even know how to explain them to you. Sam and Val were the first at the county foster home they were all eventually put into. They were four when they got there. Mouse joined them about six months later, and then a few more months had Toni and Kes. There are different reasons why they were there… So, they bonded really quickly, and any time one of them was placed with a foster family, they didn't last long. Sometimes they caused the issue, and sometimes, well the foster system is a nightmare. From the time they were four, to escape from life at the home, they would go on 'missions'. Vivian Dalton went to the home, saw the five girls, and instead of just taking one or two, she took all five of them home. But that time at the home did something to them. Like, every once in a while they get scared of something, and go off on a little adventure… or they get bored, and go off on a little adventure." Sledge sighed. "It's why when they say they're a package deal, they seriously mean it. Toni didn't want a damned thing to do with me the first time we met. Figured that one of the Sons of Anarchy wouldn't understand and try to split them up. But I was gone for her." He smiled. "Sam and Val cornered me, while Kes and Mouse kept Toni busy. I liked all the girls, they're sweethearts. Sam asked if I wanted to take Toni away, and Val wanted to know if I understood that with them it was like buy one, get four free."

All the guys, even the irritated Clay, chuckled.

"I told them I understood, because I did. I saw them together. And that I would love to have little sisters. Val said that they would make it happen. They apparently liked me and made Toni give me a chance. And it's awesome. I have the woman I love, and I have these four sisters that are just something special. Sometimes they're crazy like this, which happens quite a bit. Sometimes they're a little scary. That's when you sit down and shut up. Doesn't happen a lot, and hopefully you all won't have to see it before we head home." Sledge stood back up. "Ok, so, the best way to find them now, is to have two prospects drive, one in either direction, until they find something in the trees, since that's a good place to look for Michelle. Or a large piss spot."

"Okay, that hurt my boobs," Val stated plainly. "Ow, they'll never be the same."

"Well I'll go next since my boobs aren't near as big as yours, Boobs McGee," Sam taunted.

Clay had Half Sack and another prospect by the name of Miles, head out. The guys knew they shouldn't but they couldn't help but laugh at the dialogue they could hear.

"We might get lucky and Mouse will identify the rider, then we know what direction they went." Sledge muttered. "I swear to God that one day I'm going to paddle Toni's butt for this."

There was about ten minutes of relative quiet, only hearing the girls murmuring the background, when Mouse's voice came surging over the radio, "Abort! Abort! Crow-Po, Crow-Po, Abort, the gestapo is coming!"

"Crow-Po?" Juice asked.

"The gestapo," Clay's eyebrow rose.

"Yes, back home they call the police the Po-Po. The Sons that are sometimes sent out to find them are the So-So-Po, and anyone who tries to stop their fun are Fun-Nazis." Sledge flushed a bit.

Back at the radio.

"How many Mouse?" Val shouted.

"Abort," Sam's voice was high pitched. "You saw the diagrams Michelle, how the FUCK am I going to abort!"

"There's only one, but where there's one, there are always more, they're like a pack of werewolves," Michelle snapped. "Abort, Scatter!"

"Mother fucker!" Sam muttered into her Bluetooth. "Well, Mouse I think we're as hidden as we can be in this situation, and Val I totally understand your tits hurting. Fuck."

"Remember someone gets caught, no one talks," Toni murmured. "Admit to nothing and avoid eyes."

"A little dramatic, aren't they?" Clay looked at Sledge.

"Oh, they're crazy," Sledge admitted. "But the best kind of crazy… normally."

"That's the prospect, Miles," Kes finally said and it had the guys grinning. They all jumped on their bikes, while Juice and Bobby took the van.

"Most exciting Sunday we've had in a while," Bobby stated.

Juice looked at him. He had spent two hours making out with Michelle the night before, and he sort of understood the urge Sledge had to paddle his woman's behind. Whoa! Where had that thought come from… Michelle wasn't his woman, was she?

"I knew it!" Michelle whispered. "It looks like almost all of them."

The sound of four girls muttering "Fuck", had Juice and Bobby laughing.

Val and Kes heard the bikes parking on the bridge above them, and slid deeper into the water and closer to one of the supporting columns of the bridge.

Sam stared down at the men parking their bikes and dismounting to look around. She was almost at the top of a huge tree, a harness wrapped around her body, rigged up for her fall, and she just prayed no one looked up.

Toni was in the tree on the other side of the bridge. She'd started climbing as soon as Mouse had called abort. Hiding like this had worked before to get away from the Houston Chapter. She'd never hidden from Sledge before, but she didn't think he'd be too mad at her. Maybe a little. That's okay, she'd just give him a blowjob and he'd be happy again.

"Toni, love," Sledge called out. "We know you're all here. You're busted. Come on out."

Val and Kes looked at each other. "I'm not going out there," Val mouthed to Kes. Kes nodded in agreement.

Toni sighed. She was going to have to give herself up to save the others. She just wasn't sure how THESE Sons would react. Whatever happened, they could NOT see the harness on Sam. Fuck. She shimmied down the tree, "Okay, you caught me honey," she came out of the overgrowth.

"And the others?" Clay asked.

"Oh, hey guys!" Michelle came out of the woods, back closer to the lot. She was panting and limping a little bit, leaves and other debris in her hair and on her shorts. "Great morning isn't it?"

They just looked at her.

"Okay," she started looking around a little bit, avoiding gazes. "So, we should probably head back, right?"

"SAM!" Happy called out in his raspy voice. Sledge might just WANT to spank Toni, but he WOULD spank Sam. He didn't care at what step their relationship was.

Sam cringed, and met Val's eyes, she could just barely make her out under the bridge. Then, both Val and Kes began to look anxious, and kept pointing either at, or around where Sam hid. At first Sam didn't know what the fuck they were motioning at, and then she turned her head and found herself face to face with the fattest squirrel she'd ever seen. "EEEEEKKKKK!" she screeched, and proceeded to fall out of the tall tree. Luckily she was still in that harness that was attached to said tree. Sam got dizzy as she spun down the line, and then she just hung there like she was stuck in a downed parachute, swinging back and forth.

Jax almost laughed as Happy pulled a Sledge move. He sighed and rubbed his forehead.

"That was fucking awesome!" Kes shouted, and then covered her mouth with her hands. Val felt like dunking her under the water they were in.

Sam felt hands on her thighs, and she was twisted around to see all the guys, and Happy standing right under her. "Hi!" She chirped. She didn't even bother to try the innocent look. It didn't seem to work as well here in California.

Kozik and Tig had walked down the incline from the bridge and found Val and Kes. "Well, look who we got here," Kozik said sarcastically.

"You look pretty cold in that wet t-shirt Val," Tig said, and wondered if Jax would flip.

"Tig!" Jax bellowed. That made Tig smile.

"Come on, Ladies," the big blonde biker motioned for them to get out of the water.

The two girls waded out of the water. Kes met Val's eyes and nodded. The two walked over and picked up their backpacks. "Well, this mission went FUBAR."

"I guess we'll just head back to the lot now," Kes added.

"No," Sam squealed. "You have to help me with the harness!" Before she'd even finished the sentence Happy had pulled his blade and with his arm around the back of Sam's legs, he cut the straps.

All the girls started complaining. "Not the harness!" "Hey that was expensive!" "Do you know what we had to go through to GET that?" "It'll take forever for another one to come. They're manufactured overseas!"

"Quiet!" Clay snapped. And all five girls shut up and looked down. "What the hell were you all trying to do? Besides break your damned necks?"

Toni shrugged, Mouse wouldn't look at them, Val stared at the ground, and Sam was messing with her nails. Kes finally broke. "We're trying to learn new things to incorporate into our stage performances. You know, like Val doing the firebreath thing. We thought maybe spinning down, or possibly rappelling, but we haven't gotten that gear in the mail yet."

Clay could only imagine the insurance premiums for these girls. "If you wanted to leave the lot why didn't you just get a few of us to go with you?"

Val and Kes were shivering. Both Jax and Kozik walked over putting their flannels around the girls. Jax took extra time to button the large shirt, but Val still wouldn't look up at him.

"Why would we?" Mouse shrugged. "No one ever wants to go with us. They think our ideas are stupid. And that's our family. So we just figure it out ourselves."

"Sometimes Bruno gets really pissed off, and tells us to stop talking and bothering them, or to get out of the Clubhouse, like we're twelve." Kes tried to explain. "We grew up in the Clubhouse, Viv taking us there almost every day."

Sam moved over to the other four girls who were huddled together. "I don't like it when I feel like I'm inconveniencing someone. Getting people to go with us when we want to try something out would just be a waste of time of their time." Happy got angry because the words sounded like she was just repeating what someone had told her.

"It's not like we don't do extensive research before we go on a mission," Toni muttered. "The last time any of us got hurt was freshman year of high school." Sledge was so sad for the girls sometimes. He knew they still felt alone, like they were the only other people to count on. "And the hair grew back."

Val didn't say a word. She was worried that if she started talking about Houston she might cry. Ever since Vivian had passed away it seemed like Bruno didn't want them around. And it felt like she was losing another home; losing another family.

"I'm supposed to be protecting you all. Sneaking out without us knowing where to find you is dangerous. If you discover some circus act you just need to learn, get a few of my guys and have them come with you. If they can't find the time, you come find me, and I'll kick their asses into gear. Now let's go home."

Val threw her arm over Sam's shoulder as they walked closer to the bikes. "If it hadn't been for that fucking ninja squirrel we would have been fine." The other girls nodding.

"That fucker was terrifying," Sam told her wide eyed. "I thought it was going to bite my face or something."

"How're your boobs," Val's still hurt, and she could imagine the pain from the fall Sam took.

"Yeah, that's gonna leave a mark."

"Kes was right," Val told the other girl. "You looked fucking wicked spinning down from the tree."

Sam smiled smugly. Then lost the smile, as Happy grabbed her taking her over to his bike. "Help?" she mouthed to Val.

Val laughed. Then she saw Jax standing and watching her, so she walked over to him. "I have to ride in the van," she told him.

He nodded. "You'd get too cold on the bike."

"Sorry about your jacket, I'll get it cleaned for you."

"I don't care about the fucking jacket. You can't just go off like that, Val."

She heard the stress in his voice, and though she didn't really understand it, she felt bad. "I'm sorry for worrying yall."

He could see the confusion in her eyes. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder, walking her over to the van, "Let's go back, you can get cleaned up, and if you want you  
can come with me to see Abel."

She looked up and gave him a huge smile and an enthusiastic nod. They rounded the back of the van and stopped abruptly. Kozik had Kes pressed against the van, and it  
looked like they were trying to swallow each other.

Val wondered if there was something in the water. They did not have this kind of guy luck back home.

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It was eleven by the time they got to the hospital, and the nurse put Abel into Jax's arms and gave him a bottle to feed the baby. Val helped him get adjusted and comfortable so he could feed his son.

"You're good at that," Jax smiled.

Val shrugged, "At the home we had to take care of younger kids, and then sometimes if you got sent to a family there might be a baby that you had to help out with."

"But you were really young." He was frowning. Sometimes it was as if the girls were each two separate individuals. One, confident in their talent, funny, giving and playful. The second, scared. So insecure thinking that eventually no one would want them. Jax knew Bruno had just lost his mother Vivian, but he should be remembering that the girls didn't get the same kind of life he had from the beginning.

Again Val shrugged, she hated talking about the home, or the foster families. "I have to run to the rest room. I'll be right back."

He gave her another smile, and she went to find the bathroom. When she was done and had washed her hands, she exited right into the doctor who had called her and Sam Crow-eaters. "Excuse me," she said and tried to pass, but the woman stepped into Val's path. Val looked up into green eyes. "Do you have a problem?"

"You know you're just temporary, right?" the woman shot out.

"Excuse me?" Val had no idea what this chick was talking about.

"My Old Man you're shacking up with… Jax," the doctor spat. 

For a moment it felt like Val couldn't breathe, but she kept her face blank. She'd considered sleeping with him, and he had an Old Lady. "I honestly don't know what you're talking about. I'm just visiting from Texas for a bit." Jax Teller really WAS just like all the other Sons that she knew. Except he didn't even wait until he was on a run to cheat.

"Whatever, just remember you're just a filler." Then the woman flashed the crow tattoo at Val, and walked away.

Val really wanted to go home.

"Hey, there you are, did you get lost?" Jax was smiling at her as he walked up to her.

"Your visit all done," she asked.

"Yeah, unfortunately we don't get a lot of out of toaster time right now. You want to go get some food?"

"No, thank you, ya know, I think I was in that water for a little too long. I'm not feeling great."

Jax frowned, "You do look a little pale."

They headed back to the lot, and Jax didn't lose his frown. Val wasn't leaning on him the way she had been, and he could almost physically feel her pulling away from him. She was up off his bike and heading onto the tour bus before he knew what the fuck was happening. He went over to the office. Maybe his Ma could help him.

Gemma looked up as Jax entered and could tell something was wrong. "What's wrong, Baby?"

He explained how things had been great, they'd gone to see Abel. She'd gone to use the John, and then he'd found her in the hall, and since then she kept distancing herself. "I don't know what I did. I really like Val. I've been really careful, not trying to rush her…"

Gemma thought she might know what happened. "Did Doctor Bitch say something to her? Didn't you say the last time you took Val up there, Tara insulted her and Sam?"

"Well, she wasn't in the hallway when I got there."

"But had she been." Gemma watched her son think through it.

"Thanks, Ma," Jax leaned forward and kissed his mom's cheek.

"Jax," her son looked back at her. "I like your choice." And she did. She'd always been highly critical of women her son was with, but these girls were something special.

He gave her a half smile, then he headed straight for the bus. Jax pushed open the doors and stepped inside. 


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I do not own, or make profit from The Son of Anarchy, nor do I own or make profit from any of the music used in the story.

I do not condone the use of alcohol, drugs, and/or violence.

**I will include parenthesis with the initial to show who sings what. ex. (V) (S) (T) (K) (B)-both (A)-all

Another little note. This story is going to mainly focus on Val and Jax, but I will sill be writing all of them.

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As soon as she saw Jax head into the office, Val veered off and went into the dorms, but instead of going to her room, she went to Sam's. She was surprised when she found the other girl lying on her bed, hands underneath her head, and staring at the ceiling.

"You okay?" Val asked.

Sam looked over and smiled. "Sure. Just thinking."

"You know they say it's dangerous when we start thinking," Val teased weakly.

"Yeah," Sam sighed. She patted the bed next to her, and Val laid down. "What's wrong?"

"I don't think I should get involved with anyone while we're here."

Sam frowned, "And where are those thoughts coming from? Do you think I shouldn't get involved with Happy?"

Val shook her head, "No, he seems nice enough."

Sam's mouth twisted up into a little smile. "I'm not quite sure that I'd use the adjective 'nice' to describe Happy. He's awesome… and sexy… and I'm fairly certain I'm going to rock his world, but nice… I thought Jax was nice." She watched Val's face carefully.

"So did I," Val whispered.

"What happened?"

"He's got an Old Lady."

"What!?" Sam shrieked, causing her sister to wince. "Sorry, what the hell are you talking about?"

Val shrugged, "You remember that doctor at the hospital? The one who called us Crow-eaters?"

"Yeah," Sam said, eyes narrowed.

"She's his Old Lady."

Sam thought about that for a moment. "Are you sure?"

"She used those words. Told me I was just temporary entertainment, and flashed her crow at me."

"Did you talk to Jax?"

Val shook her head. "No, I told him I didn't feel well. Made him think I was going to the bus, and snuck in here."

Sam frowned, "Oh sweetie."

"How are we so confident on stage, performing, and talking to friends, but add in a man who we find interesting and we become total freaks and cowards?"

"It's because you like him, and with liking someone there is a fear of rejection. I was saying some of the same things regarding Happy. Like, should I be getting involved with someone when the relationship will have an expiration date?"

"What did you decide?"

"Not sure yet. Rejection, ending a relationship. I don't want the pain of either."

"You think I should talk to him, don't you?" Val asked.

"Yeah. Just because of how angry he got at the hospital when she called us Crow-eaters. That doesn't seem like something that should have bugged him if she was his Old Lady."

Val nodded slowly. "Okay. But not right now. Right now I'd like some time without drama."

"Sounds good to me," Sam agreed. "Let's take a nap."

98989

The bus was empty. She obviously hadn't stayed on it long. Jax ran his hands through his hair in frustration, and left the bus. A delivery truck was arriving through the gates  
of lot, and Juice was talking to the driver. He nodded and directed the man over towards the girls' temporary stage.

Juice walked over and joined Jax. "Delivery for the ladies."

They waited and watched. It was a piano. A gleaming white grand piano.

"That shit looks expensive," Juice muttered.

"And delivering on a Sunday ain't cheap." Jax added.

"It came!" Toni's voice came from the doorway of the Clubhouse. "That's awesome, the others' will be so excited."

"Where is everyone?" Jax asked casually.

"Sledge is playing pool with Kes and Kozik. Bobby and Tig are working on a car. Chibs is working on a bike. Mouse is helping a friend from home get rid of a computer virus.  
She was going into lecture mode, so I beat feet. Oh, and Sam and Val are napping. I think Val is getting sick, which is bad ya know? If she gets the sniffles or a cold, that could fuck with her voice, and we have shows coming up. We'd have to flip a lot of shit around. And she would be pissed, and sad. There would be tears…. So, I took her some hot tea, and aspirin, and she's snoozing. Clay asked us to play tonight since y'all have some visitors from Tacoma." Toni finally stopped babbling, running her hand lovingly over the piano.

Juice pointed at the piano, "Do you all play?" 

"Mouse is the only one who doesn't. But put her on a computer and she's pure magic." Toni smiled with pride.

9898989

Instead of having the women cook, because there were so many extra people, Clay and Jemma ordered food.

Jax had hoped to have a chance to talk to Val before dinner, but he kept getting caught in conversations with the Tacoma brothers. And he couldn't just tell them to take a  
hike. He was Vice President of SAMCRO.

However, all of the Sons that were part of SAMCRO noticed that once again Tig's arm was wrapped around Vinnie. The girl was beaming up at the wild biker, and Jax  
wondered if Tig realized how much the girl liked him.

Willie, the President of the Tacoma Chapter was talking to Jax and Clay. "So I understand those pretty little girls are gonna be playing some music for us tonight?"

"Oh yeah, and they are definitely something else," Clay chuckled.

"They any good?"

"Yes," Jax said with such certainty, it made Willie's eyebrow go up. "I think you all will appreciate it."

"Any of 'em available afterwards?"

Jax felt a flash of anger and possessiveness. Nobody better try anything with Valeria.

"Up to them," Clay shrugged. "Probably not. They aren't Crow-eaters or Sweetbutts."

Willie's VP, Crank, hurried up to them, "Holy shit, Will," he breathed out. "Some of the sweetest pieces of ass I ever seen are out on the stage right now."

Jax felt like punching the man, but restrained himself.

Willie chuckled, "Well let's go watch the show then."

Leaving the Clubhouse and heading towards the stage they could hear different instruments doing those tuning noises. Jax saw Val and his stomach clenched. Her jeans were practically painted on until they got to her calves, then they sort of hung down a bit, boot cut. She was wearing Harley boots that had a pointy little heel to them, and her top, what there was of it, was silver. It had one little tie around the neck, and then one little tie around the middle of her back. Otherwise, her back was bare. Her hair was gleaming, the silvery blonde shining in the lights. And she'd put her make up on dark.

Sam was wearing a mini skirt that hit her mid thighs, and she wore knee high black boots. Her top was a lacy bralet that was red.

It was possible Kes wasn't wearing pants, and her top was similar to Val's, but pink to match her hair.

Toni wore a cotton dress that hugged her curves, and a wide belt around her waist. She had on ripped fishnets, and combat boots

And they started with a bang.

(V) Friday night boys and the PBR  
Chasing Jack, getting wrecked  
In small town bars  
You're a big city roller  
In N-Y-C  
A sharp dressed man  
Just like ZZ

Holding right back in a leather jacket  
I like riding bitch  
Or sitting on the back  
Pretty boys at the university  
Watching them walk  
In their Levi jeans

I can't help but fall  
God bless em all

(A) American boys  
Gotta love em, gotta need em  
Gotta want em  
They're my drug of choice  
Yeah, yeah, yeah  
American boys  
Wanna slay em, wanna lay em  
Wanna play em  
They're my favourite toys  
American, American boys

Val strutted across the stage, playing the guitar, and laughing at Sam who wriggled her eyebrows back at the blonde.

(V) Metal head boys  
In the back of a Camaro  
Banging to Metallica  
On the radio  
From an All-Star Stud  
To a punk like you  
We've got so many flavors  
That I just can't choose

They rock the world  
Of this American girl

(A) )American boys  
Gotta love em, gotta need em  
Gotta want em  
They're my drug of choice  
Yeah, yeah, yeah  
American boys  
Wanna slay em, wanna lay em  
Wanna play em  
They're my favorite toys  
American, American boys

Toni starting playing a solo and had an exhilarated look on her face.

(V) I've been every where  
And nothing compares  
Ain't nothing like em  
Rock me like em, yeah

Now make a move  
Do what you do

(A)American boys  
Gotta love em, gotta need em  
Gotta want em  
They're my drug of choice  
Yeah, yeah, yeah  
American boys  
Wanna slay em, wanna lay em  
Wanna play em  
They're my favorite toys  
American boys

The girls only took a few minutes to move around, before they were starting again, and Toni was up to the mike. Jax watched Val take a long drink of water, and she took over for lead guitar.

(T) I love making you believe  
What you get is what you see  
But I'm so fake happy  
I feel so fake happy  
And I bet everybody here  
Is just as insincere  
We're all so fake happy  
And I know fake happy

(T)I been doing a good job of makin' 'em think  
I'm quite alright  
But I hope I don't blink  
You see its easy when I'm stomping on a beat  
But no one sees me when I crawl back underneath

If I smile with my teeth  
Bet you believe me  
If I smile with my teeth  
I think I believe me

(S,T)Oh please don't ask me how I've been  
Don't make me play pretend  
Oh no, oh what's the use  
Oh please, I bet everybody here is fake happy too

(T)And if I go out tonight, dress up my fears  
You think I'll look alright with these mascara tears?  
See I'm gonna draw my lipstick wider than my mouth  
And if the lights are low they'll never see me frown

If I smile with my teeth  
Bet you believe me  
If I smile with my teeth  
I think I believe me

(S,T)Oh please don't ask me how I've been  
Don't make me play pretend  
Oh no, oh oh what's the use?  
Oh please, I bet everybody here is fake happy too

(T) I know I said that I was doing good and that I'm happy now  
Oh oh  
I should've known that when things are going good thats when I get knocked down

(S,T)Oh please, just don't ask me how I've been  
Don't make me play pretend  
Oh no, oh no  
Oh what's the use?  
Oh please, I bet everybody here is fake happy too

(T)Oh please, I bet everybody here is fake happy too

Willie looked at Clay and Jax. "Those girls are pretty fucking good."

Clay grinned smugly, "Yes they are." He knew the other man had thought Clay was letting them play to make the girls happy, not because of any talent. "Didn't I tell you they're performing at a bunch of music festivals this summer."

Willie laughed, "You Asshole, no you did not."

Jax saw Val frowning and looking down, he wondered what was wrong. He saw her make a face at Toni, and Toni mouthed the word 'Fuck', as she too looked at the stage near Val's feet. He had no idea what the problem was. Val moved over to Sam and made a few hand signals, then made the same signals to Kes, who nodded.

This time they didn't even stop playing, just moved back into Val singing.

(V)Cross my heart, broke your promise, told me lies  
Why did you  
Watch me suffer, make me feel like I deserved to  
Everybody takes, everybody breaks somebody's heart leaving some on their own  
But this felt more like you ripping flesh from bone  
You made a mess out of me  
Where do I begin?  
You'll pay for your sins

(A)Like a reckoning  
You never saw coming  
I'm the reaper outside your door  
You took everything made me feel less than nothing  
I'm getting what I came for  
Like the sound of all the stars crashing in the dark  
I said a prayer and buried your name  
And up through the ashes I rose like wildfire

The reckoning

(V)I gave you more than my heart could hope for  
You misused it  
Scraped up every piece that fell to the floor  
When you tore through it  
Laying me to ruin  
You knew what you were doing  
Leaving me to skin and bone  
But trusting you was no one's fault but my own  
You get what you give  
So take your last breath  
Before I lay you to rest

(A)Like a reckoning  
You never saw coming  
I'm the reaper outside your door  
You took everything made me feel less than nothing  
I'm getting what I came for  
Like the sound of all the stars crashing in the dark  
I said a prayer and buried your name  
And up through the ashes I rose like wildfire

(V)I should have known better than that  
I should have known all along  
I should have known better than that  
I should have known  
But now I'm moving on

(A)Like a reckoning  
You never saw coming  
I'm the reaper outside your door  
You took everything made me feel less than nothing  
I'm getting what I came for  
Like the sound of all the stars crashing in the dark  
I said a prayer and buried your name  
And up through the ashes I rose like wildfire

The reckoning  
You never saw coming  
You never saw me coming  
The reckoning  
I'm the reaper outside your door  
I am the reckoning  
For every wrong you ever did to me  
I am the reckoning

The music stopped and there was silence for a moment before they were getting cheers and whistles.

"Sorry guys, due to some technical difficulties that's it for tonight," Val managed, frowning severely.

People started heading back into the Clubhouse, leaving only a few out around the ring.

Val was pacing, and the other three girls looked pissed too. Jax approached the stage.

"It's a brand new fucking pedal!" Val looked at the wah wah pedal that had suddenly become useless.

"You treat that thing like it's your baby," Toni said.

"You just got it a couple of weeks before we came out here," Sam added. "And you take it inside with you."

Sledge moved over and picked up the pedal, wriggling it a little bit, before it came apart in his hands.

"Yeah, so NOT supposed to do that," Val growled.

Sledge was looking down at the parts and was frowning. "There's corrosion."

"What?" Sam asked. "There's nothing on it that could corrode."

Jax moved forward and looked at the two pieces that were in Sledge's hands. "It's all worn down. Battery acid maybe?" Happy took it next and nodded in agreement. Kozik and Juice tried to keep out of the way.

"What?" Val's voice sounded more hesitant now.

"It was sabotaged."

"But who…" she began but then shook her head. "Our stalker. Our stalker got to my equipment."

"We need to check all of the equipment," Kes sounded a bit anxious. "Every single piece."

Sam still stared at the broken wah wah pedal. "They want to hurt us in any way possible. Our careers…. Our bodies…."

"Our minds." Val finished.

Sam and Val looked to each other. "What we were talking about earlier…"

Val knew what she meant. "Yeah. That too."

Jax and Happy felt like they were missing something.

"Maybe we shouldn't play the festivals," Sam offered hesitantly.

"What?" Kes snapped.

"Maybe," Val started. "Maybe Sam and I..." she didn't get to finish.

"No!" Toni was pissed. "Oh Hell no, don't you DARE suggest that you and Sam go somewhere else. We're in this together, just like we have always been."

Kes swallowed heavily, tears in her eyes. "Five points," she said holding up her hand.

Val nodded and placed her hand against Kes's. "Five points… Okay, well, we need to go through ALL of our shit that we just assumed would be fine. And once that's done we need to go shopping. So we'll arrange that with Gemma and Clay." Then she sighed patting down her pockets. "I need a fucking cigarette and a drink."

A lit cigarette appeared in her eyesight, and she looked to find Jax offering her his. She took it. "Thanks," she mumbled.

Having a slight plan for the next few days, everyone started heading inside. Jax grabbed Val's arm, but made sure he didn't hurt her. "Not you, not yet."

Shit, she thought. Fuck after this shit, talking to Jax should be easy. She just looked at him.

Jax waited for everyone else to be out of earshot before pulling her over to the picnic tables. "Did Tara talk to you at the hospital today?" he asked and the look on her face  
before she blanked it told him everything. "What did she say?"

"Jax," she did not want to discuss this.

"No," he snapped. He wasn't mean, but he wasn't going to let her get out of telling him. "What did she say?"

Val sighed and took a seat on one of the benches. "She told me I was just filler, or entertainment, until you went back to her. That you always did. She told me she was your Old Lady, and showed me her crow."

"And you didn't think to talk to me about what she had to say?" he asked. "You think I'd just kiss you the way I did, asked your permission, and kissed you, if I had an Old  
Lady."

Val's eyebrows crinkled in confusion. It had been an emotional few days. "I don't…"

Jax looked at the ground and took a deep breath. He was going to have to be patient. He was going to have to repeat himself. He was going to have to be extremely careful…  
if he wanted Val.

"Isn't she your Old Lady?" she asked hesitantly.

Jax moved forward until he was kneeling on the ground in front of where she sat on the bench. "Tara and I dated in High School. I thought she was the one. I asked her to be  
my Old Lady, and she said yes and took the crow. The she left me," he started.

"But why?" it almost made him smile, the true confusion in her eyes as she asked that. Not understanding why Tara would leave.

"Didn't want to mix in the life of the MC. Wanted me to leave and go with her."

"But… that's not who you are."

That Val knew that after knowing him for barely a week, and Tara never figured it out after years of being together was glaring. He took her two hands in his two, her fingers  
were cold, and so he warmed them with his own. "So Tara left, and I didn't have an Old Lady anymore. I was pissed and hurt, and I'll admit I pretty much fucked as many women as possible. But the other day, at the hospital with you, Sam and Hap, I told her she wasn't my Old Lady anymore. Not my crow, just old ink."

"Oh," Val said softly.

"Valeria, I haven't had a Crow-eater, or any woman in my bed since you got here."

"But why?"

"Because I want you. Because I want to prove to you that Sons CAN be with one person. Because I wanted, hoped, that we could see what happens with us. And I don't think your request that the man you're with doesn't sleep with another woman is too much to ask. I think you're worth it. I've never looked at the way things are the way you do. But you're right, if you and I were together, I wouldn't want you to fuck someone on the road. So why should I be allowed to do it to you?"

Val slipped off the bench, where her knees were on either side of Jax's. She took her hands back from him, and ran them through his hair and onto his shoulders. Then she leaned in and kissed him. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I should have asked. It's not right to just assume. I guess Ash really did fuck with my head worse than it was already fucked with. But, Jax, this stalker thing is getting bad. They're trying to hurt me and Sam. If you or Happy got caught in that…"

"Not another word," he told her. "You are crazy if you think I'm letting you run away from me." They were so close to each other, body against body, his hips between her thighs, but both clothed. Mouth close to mouth, speaking, and hands soothing over neck and shoulders. He ran his hands over her bare back. "It's okay. Just… try not to compare me to that douche. Let's just work on that communication thing. When you get scared just talk to me. Ok?"

Val nodded and kissed him again.

9898989

Happy found Sam pacing in the kitchen. "What's up?"

She jumped startled by his sudden appearance. "Just nerves."

He moved closer to her and she edged back. This made him narrow his eyes and take another step forward. And she took another step back. "You gonna tell me what this is?" he asked pointing between them.

"Happy, I don't want something to happen to you because of me," she told him. She was going to be strong. She was going to send him on his way, and then he would be safe… well, safer.

"Bullshit."

Sam blinked at him. "No, seriously, I don't want you hurt because of me," she stressed.

"Yeah, I know you meant it, but it's bullshit. And we ain't gonna talk about it anymore."

"But…"

"Sam, all day I been thinking about what you said there at the lake. No one ever having faith in you and your sisters. No one ever having time for you and them. Well, those people who discounted you and them, they were fucking morons. You're all smart, independent, successful, and fucking beautiful. You should have had better, but you didn't. Now you're gonna. And I don't care what some fucked up stalker thinks about it because if I get to him first I'm gonna gut him. I'm starting to think it might be a race between me and Jax, on who gets him first, cuz I ain't never seen him so messed up about a girl the way he is with Val. Way I see it. You're mine. And if you want, I'm yours, and only yours. That's your choice. But I already made mine." Her eyes were shining at him. "You ready for bed now?"

Sam nodded, "Oh yeah."

(Songs: American Boys—Halestorm; Fake Happy—Paramore; The Reckoning—Halestorm)


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Violence and Trigger warnings over the next few chapters.**

Disclaimer: I do not own, or make profit from The Son of Anarchy, nor do I own or make profit from any of the music used in the story.

I do not condone the use of alcohol, drugs, and/or violence.

**I will include parenthesis with the initial to show who sings what. ex. (V) (S) (T) (K) (B)-both (A)-all

Another little note. This story is going to mainly focus on Val and Jax, but I will sill be writing all of them.

89999888

The next day Clay sent them on their shopping trip. The girls along with Gemma, Donna, and Vinnie would be shopping, and he sent Jax, Happy, Opie, Sledge, Kozik, Juice, Bobby, and Half Sack along with them for protection. The Tacoma Sons were still visiting, so they stuck around to help protect the Clubhouse. They took the tour bus, and Half Sack drove. Opie, Sledge, and Bobby rode their dyna's. The others were doing pretty good for being stuck in a cage.

"Depending on the selection," Kes was talking, "I might pick up some extra sticks, and new heads. If they don't have what I want though, I'll just a do an express order."

"I should probably pick up some new strings for my guitars and bass." Sam agreed.

"We all should," Toni pointed out.

"So music store first?" Val asked, and they all agreed.

Mouse was lying on the couch, her head in Juice's lap, playing on her laptop. "OH! Our rappelling gear arrives by the end of this week!"

"Kick ass!" Kes cheered.

Val frowned, "My boobs still have bruises."

"I can rub them to make them feel better if you want," Jax had leaned in and whispered in her ear, causing her to blush, then he nipped at the shell of her ear.

Sam was busy looking down, "Mine too, like they were in a horrible car crash without me."

Happy's hand spanned across her back and he rubbed appreciatively. He had kissed every bruise the night before, driving her insane.

"Okay, yes, you got some bruises, but you won't be falling with the rappelling as long as you do it right," Toni pointed out. Now glad she hadn't gotten a chance in the  
harness. "Rappelling, you lower yourself down. We could let ourselves slide or walk down."

"We aren't stage diving for these concerts right?" Kes asked. Not that she would have much chance to anyway being behind the drums most of the time. But she didn't want Sam or Val too.

"We haven't really talked about it." Sam shrugged.

"I don't think I want Val to do her firebreath trick either." Toni added.

"Why?" Val asked.

"Someone could tamper with it," Jax explained Toni's reasoning. At least he thought that was why, and when she began nodding he could only agree. "Sledge set that up for you beforehand. What if someone messes with it while it's waiting?"

"Well… maybe we could do it a different way," she sounded out. She did understand, but she didn't want this thing to change everything in her world. "Maybe I could hold onto it and bring it out with me, or Kes could bring it out?"

"We'll work on it," he promised. "No stage diving though. There's no way to control that."

Sam sighed, "I feel like we're grounded. But I can't disagree. And I don't want anyone listening to us to get hurt."

"Mags should be sending us our new contracts," Kes said breezily, changing the subject.

"Who's Mags?" Vinnie asked.

"She's our manager." Toni frowned.

"I don't know why," Mouse muttered quietly.

Either none of the other girls heard Mouse, or they chose to ignore her. "When we first started playing local clubs, Aunt Viv decided we needed management. Mags had been Viv's friend since college. So she 'offered' to help us. She's been our manager for four years now, and I don't know why we haven't booted her." Kes explained. "She always tries to slip asinine things into the contracts that we've already said no to beforehand."

"We haven't because of Viv," Val responded. "We didn't want to hurt Aunt' Viv's feelings, and it wasn't like we expected to be doing any big concerts or touring."

"You all probably could." Gemma told them.

The girls shrugged. "We like having people listen to us," Toni said, "and we like that people can download our music, or buy merch. That's fun stuff. But being on the road for incredibly long periods of time, Mouse couldn't be there if she had a job, hotel rooms and too much fast food…"

"When I dated Ash," Val began, "He was seriously against it, but that's because he was jealous. We're friends with a lot of these bands we tour with, or are in the same  
genre. And most of them are guys. We laugh and talk, and play pranks, and he always thought of that as flirting. So was a definite supporter of the no going on tour thing. He was way against us playing these summer festivals."

"When he found out Chaos Party was going to be there," Sam rolled her eyes.

"Chaos Party?" Donna asked.

"They're from Dallas, we played a few of the same venues and we all sort of dated the boys from the band. Val dated Ike, the drummer, Sam dated the singer, Max, Toni was with Breck the guitarist, and I saw Joe, the bassist. After we all went our separate ways, we were, and are, still friends, But Ash flipped his shit when he saw Val hugging Ike."

"Ike's sweet," Val shrugged and looked over at Jax, "I'm gonna hug Ike."

He smiled and ran his hand down her hair. "That's fine, Darlin'. The only reason I would get mad about that is if there was something sexual about it. You're allowed to have  
friends."

Val graced him with a beautiful smile and leaned in and kissed him. It pleased him because it was in front of everyone. Val was so gunshy he thought he'd have problems with her accepting him in front of people. "I'll introduce you two. You'll like him."

"Most of the time we're like the little sisters to all those guys," Sam explained. "Like Max, we haven't dated in forever, in fact he has this amazing girlfriend, Miranda, love her, but he still picks me up, and spins me around."

"Or Joe smacks my ass," Kes laughed.

"Or Breck throws me over his shoulder," Toni snickered. "The first time he did it in font of Sledge I thought Sledge was going to pound Breck into the ground like a spike. And So did Breck."

Val laughed, "I remember, Breck said, why didn't you tell me your new boyfriend was that big'."

"Now they talk like little girls gossiping." Toni said dryly.

"I will say this," Kes began lightly, looking at Kozik, then at her sisters. "If we run into Stacy and her group, because I'm sure they'll be there. If she talks to Kozik, I'll rip her hair out."

Vinnie giggled.

"Whoa!" Kozik looked startled.

"Oh, we're on the same page," Val's eyes glittered, and then she looked at Jax. "No talking to Stacy."

He blinked unused to that sort of reaction from her. His mom was smirking.

"Sledge already knows, so you're the only one left who needs the warning." Sam looked at Happy. "That bitch comes near you and I will cut her."

Happy tugged her closer, trying to hide a smile at her possessive tone.

"Stacy is a woman who wants what every other girl has," Val explained, her jaw still clenched. "And maybe I don't have you…"

Jax surprised her when he interrupted. "You do." Now his mom outright grinned smugly.

She was quiet for a moment. "Oh, well, she wants what we all have," this time she said 'have' with a happy lilt to it.

It wasn't much longer and Half Sack and the three motorcycles were pulling into the parking lot of a huge music store.

As far as the girls were concerned the shopping trip was a complete success. They went a little crazy at the music store, but when Val had seen the Fender Stratocaster  
painted with the Wonder Woman emblem, she had to have it.

When they had been shopping at the mall, the girls had been stopped by a group of teens, both girls and boys. They'd been thrilled, had signed autographs, and had their  
pictures taken. Jax had almost laughed the way the teen boys were puffing out their chests and trying to act like little men, until they'd seen the guys with the girls. Then they'd just gone back to typical fans.

The men had been very interested when the girls had made several purchases at Victoria's Secret and Fredericks of Hollywood. Then when Kes had mentioned that some of the items were for concert wear, the guys weren't sure if they were so excited anymore.

By the time they got back to the Clubhouse that evening, all of the women were exhausted, and most were sleeping. Clay woke Gemma up and helped her off the bus, and Opie took Donna home. Vinnie seemed very startled when she was going to leave, and Tig stopped her, tugging her to his dorm. The rest of the passengers got out and headed inside. Jax thought Val was going to leave him at his door, so he was pleasantly surprised when she held his hands, backed to his door, and kicked it open, drawing him in with her.

He kicked the door closed once they were in, and she backed him into the door, leaning in and kissing him. Jax hadn't pushed anything with her sexually. Not with the Ash thing, and he stalker sending pictures of such a sexually deviant nature.

"You never try to go any further than kissing me," She whispered.

"I want you to be ready." He told her, moving his lips to her shoulder.

"I want more," she told him, her body shuddering a little as he sucked on her pulse point. "I want your lips on me, your hands on me, and your body in me."

"Oh, Darlin', I can make that happen."

9898989

The next morning Jax woke up with a smile on his face. Val wasn't in bed next to him, but looking at the time, it was about when she and the girls were running. He got up and showered, heading out to have a smoke and a cup of coffee. He couldn't stop thinking about her. He'd had her all through the night, and he wanted her again. She hadn't protested once, ready every time. Hot and tight, and wet. Fuck, he was getting himself into a state just thinking about it. Her mouth had been magic when she'd gone down on him, and when he'd tasted her, he'd decided he'd never had anything so sweet.

The Tacoma brothers would be leaving in a couple days, so we they would be partying it up again. Nothing really new about that. Jax did know that tonight the women had decided to cook instead of just ordering food in. Seemed like an awful lot of work to him, but if it made them happy he wasn't going to complain. Since Val and Kes had started doing a majority of the regular cooking food had gotten fucking good.

Happy came out and took a seat on the table next to Jax, smoking and enjoying the quiet. It wasn't long before more of the brothers were out, and the guys were just bullshitting. What was ridiculously funny was how quiet the table got when six gorgeous women came running through the gates, poor Half Sack and that Prospect kid from Houston trailing behind. Apparently, Clay had put them on running duty. All Jax could think was, Val looks fucking incredible when she runs? "Life is good, man," he muttered.

Happy chuckles, "Yeah it is."

Vinnie the sixth girl running doesn't come all the way in, instead stopping at her car to leave. The girls all wave to her and wish her luck on some test, before walking over to where we sit. "Hey guys," Toni chirps.

"Hey, Beautiful, how are you fine ladies doing today?" Bobby pulls out one of his Elvis impressions, causing them all to giggle.

"Good run," Happy murmured to Sam.

Val had come up next to Jax, but wouldn't lean in. He didn't care if she was sweaty or not, he was going to have his arms full of that woman. So he pulled her in, kissing her senseless.

Sam snickered, leaned in and kissed Happy, and then said, "The run was good, but that Hale guy has obviously bounced back from Val's let down, and stopped her so he could ask her out… again."

"Who does that?" Val was frowning. "You don't stop someone in the middle of a run…. Then he gets all offended when I say no."

Hearing that Hale was hitting on Val kind of pissed Jax off, not gonna lie. "Want me to take care of it?"

She shook her head, "No, of course not. It's just annoying."

"What are you doing today?" Jax asked.

"Practicing probably. You?"

"Bobby, Chibs and I have to make a run, but we'll be back later today." Jax instantly felt her tense up, but didn't say anything.

"Well, be careful," she murmured.

He shrugged, "Of course."

She pulled away from the blonde man, "I think I'm going to go in and shower. I'll be back."

The girls had gotten quiet, so once she'd walked into the Clubhouse, Jax turned to Val's sisters. "Okay, what happened?"

"You're going on a run," Sam said quietly.

"Yeah. I've been lucky Clay hasn't been sending me, but it was bound to happen," Jax was nodding.

Juice rubbed his forehead. "Dude, what happens on runs?"

It took a moment to click in. Fuck, he thought. For a tenth of a second he felt frustration. He had told her he would only be with her. Why couldn't she trust him? But then that was gone because he knew why, and he didn't hold that against her. Slow. Repeat. Patient, he reminded himself. He could do that. "I'll be back in a few hours tops, but I'm going to go talk to her."

Sam followed Jax's retreating body, hers filled with tension. "Is he going to get angry with her because it takes time to trust?"

"No," Happy leaned in kissing her temple. "Jax knows it's not gonna be instant." Happy wondered what it was about this woman that made him feel tender. He was not a  
tender man. He was hard, and cold. And he got the nasty shit done for the people in charge. And then she smiled at him, or acted goofy, because he could definitely say these women were goofy bordering on crazy, and he melted.

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He found her in the kitchen looking through the fridge, ticking off items and making a list. "Val?"

She looked up at him and smiled weakly. "Hey. Shouldn't you be getting ready?"

"Darlin', please trust me."

She looked down. "I'm trying. I'm sorry. I know you have done nothing to me for me to not trust you, but from experience, and from… well, Jax, you have quite the reputation in the Clubhouses, you know?"

He sighed. He should have known that one. It wasn't like he hadn't partaken of entertainment on his runs in the past. "I know. I know I do, but Darlin', I made you a  
promise. And I don't make a lot of those."

Val moved over, wrapping her arms around him, and moving closer for a cuddle, letting him relax a bit. "I know."

Jax brushed the hair off of her cheek as she looked up at him. "I won't do anything to lose your trust. I won't do anything to lose you."

"That's a very romantic thing to say, Jackson Teller," she smiled up at him. "I didn't think big, bad, bikers were romantic."

"You've been hangin' out with the wrong bikers then, Darlin'," he told her right before joining his lips to hers. He pulled back slightly, his fingers brushing her chin. "How could  
you think there is anyone out there that could hold a candle to how amazing you are? I won't even see any other women out there. I'll be too busy thinkin' about you." And Jax knew he was telling the truth.

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The men left shortly after that, and the women proceeded to practice. Even playing at night for club, they wanted to get in as much practice as possible. A few of the Tacoma brothers hung out with them, occasionally talking, and just listening to them play. The rest of SAMCRO was in working at the garage.

When it started to get dark, the girls went in and began cooking. Val was trying to keep busy, not thinking about Jax. He had texted her whenever they'd stop and he'd sent pretty pictures of the scenery. Each one made her smile. The one of the cow and her baby had really made her smile.

Vinnie, Donna, and even Gemma were all helping with dinner, and they put Sam to baking. Girl couldn't cook, but she was a mad baker. Val had just taken a look at the bubbling casseroles in the oven when arms came around her from behind. She froze, and then relaxed as she smelled the scent that was pure Jax.

She turned in his arms, smiling, "You're back!"

"Miss me, Darlin'?" he smiled down at her, his arms wrapped around her waist while hers wrapped around his neck.

She nodded.

"I missed you too." He told her honestly. She did that thing where she leaned into him, and he found that it was one of his favorite things; her seeking his affection.

Dinner as called, and everyone began enjoying the meal.

After eating the girls headed out to the bus to get ready, since it was the quietest place. Donna sat with them talking while they dressed. Kes got done with her makeup and

talked Donna into letting her play with makeup on Donna's face.

Val was in the middle of putting her makeup on when her phone rang. "Hello?" she heard weeping. "Hello?" she spoke a little louder so that the other girls would hear her and quiet down.

"Val," a tiny voice sounded.

"Who is this?"

"Val, I need help," then more sobbing.

"Vinnie, is that you?"

"Yes," her voice was almost a wheeze. "I don't want them to… see me." She hiccupped.

"Where are you Baby, we'll come get you."

"The back of the lot, near that old broken down van. Can you bring a blanket?"

"I've got it sweetie, we're coming." Val grabbed a blanket and as all six women stepped off the bus, she turned to Donna, "Will you please go get Gemma?"

"Of course, we'll meet you back here." And Donna took off running into the Clubhouse.

There weren't a lot of people outside. There wasn't even anyone in the ring yet. And the girls were grateful.

When she first stepped back into the dark corner of the lot, Val saw the van, but she didn't see Vinnie. Then she heard a little whimper, and she barely held back her gasp as  
she saw Vinnie huddled up into a small ball, her clothes ripped, and her body, broken and bleeding. The other girls were now gasping at the sight as well. Val moved to her and crouched down, not touching the other girl yet. Val met Vinnie's terrified eyes. "I'm going to put this blanket around you," she told the other girl calmly, and quietly. "Then we're going back to the bus, and we'll talk. And we'll deal with this, okay? We'll deal with it together."

Vinnie nodded slightly.

Val wrapped the blanket around the petite girl, and then with her on one side, Sam on the other, Kes and Toni in front, and Mouse behind, the group made their way to the bus as unobtrusively as possible.

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	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Violence and Trigger warnings over the next few chapters.**

Disclaimer: I do not own, or make profit from The Son of Anarchy, nor do I own or make profit from any of the music used in the story.

I do not condone the use of alcohol, drugs, and/or violence.

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Donna ran into the club, not paying attention to anyone, her eyes only having one goal; to find Gemma. She thought she heard Opie call her name, but she paid no attention to her husband or any of the Son's with him. There. She found Gemma. Clay had just kissed his wife, and walked away, leaving Gemma alone. Donna rushed to her.

Gemma saw Donna coming and had a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach.

"You have to come with me," Donna pleaded taking Gemma's hands into her own. Gemma didn't argue or ask questions, just followed Donna, both women walking fast.

Opie watched his wife with a frown, and looked over at Jax.

"What the fuck just happened there?" Jax asked.

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The girls got Vinnie into the bus and moved her back to one of the couches. None of the girls had dry eyes. Someone had tried to destroy this girl. Val knelt in front of Vinnie. They all tensed as the bus door opened, but relaxed upon seeing Gemma and Donna.

"Oh my God, Baby Girl," Gemma whispered.

Donna covered her mouth in horror.

Vinnie had been punched in the face repeatedly. Both eyes were swollen, almost shut, her lips were both split and swollen, and her nose was broken. Blood had leaked from her nose, her mouth, and out of her left ear. It looked like a chunk of her hair had been pulled out. The purple marks covering her slim arms, shoulders, and neck were already a dark purple, and obviously finger-shaped. Val was softly going over Vinnie's body to make sure nothing was broken. It looked like her right wrist and right ankle were sprained, and swelling. The girl had come to the party in a cute little outfit. Her shoes were gone, and the shorts were ripped down the middle until they were almost in half. The top was ripped off her right shoulder.

Val hated to do it, but she had to look. She felt like she was just doing more harm. "Vinnie, I need to look at your privates. I need to make sure the damage isn't so much that we need to go to a hospital."

A keening came from the back of the blonde's throat, but she nodded.

The purple finger marks were all over her thighs and her buttocks. She had been raped, but it didn't look like she'd been ripped. "Tell us what happened, Baby Girl?" Gemma had moved to sit next to Vinnie, and put her arm lightly around the girl. Vinnie leaned into the older woman.

"I was coming back from the bathroom. One of the hang arounds told me that Tig had been in the back lot looking for me. I was so excited. I didn't even question why Tig would tell this guy. I just thought maybe he was starting to like me a little bit too, ya know? We got back there, and he started laughing, saying he'd just been joking of course Tig wasn't looking for me, he already had a Crow-eater inside. It hurt my feelings, so I started to walk away, and he said, aw come on don't be like that. I told him to take a hike. He told me not to talk to him like that. That I was there for anyone who wanted me. I told him, no I wasn't, and he hit me. Called me names… slut, tease, whore. That I dressed like this so that men would want me. That he knew I liked it rough if I'd slept with Tig. Told me I had it coming. I was so scared. I kept begging him to stop," Vinnie met each of the girl's eyes, "but he wouldn't. I remember a lot of pain, and ripping, and tearing noises. He kept moving me around, dragging me across the asphalt. After everything, he just… left."

"Who was it, Vin?" Sam asked.

"You can't tell the guys, you can't tell Tig, he'll be disgusted," she sobbed. "I'm so dirty."

"No, Baby, no," Gemma soothed.

"Tell us who it is, Vin. We will try our best not to tell the guys, but you know they'll find out. I know you know that. You tell us who he is and we won't let the Sons get your retribution. WE will get it for you," Val promised.

Kes smiled sadly at Vinnie, "I'll stay here, and we'll get you cleaned you up. We can talk."

"Why?"

"Because I've been there, Babydoll." Kes's face looked pained.

"I'm sorry," Vinnie cried. She looked at Val again. "It was Scott. The guy who always wears the Raiders jersey. Drives a crotch rocket. Hangs out with the twin guys, Neal and Glenn."

"Were they part of it?" Toni asked.

"I don't know. I didn't see them, but I don't know."

Val nodded, "Okay. Kes will take care of you, and we'll be back." Almost mechanically Val, Sam, Mouse, and Toni headed to the doors. Donna and Gemma followed. Val turned to address the two women. "This is going to get ugly and make a lot of people upset, if you two don't want part of it, we understand."

"I might not hurt him," Donna's voice was shaky, "But I want to see him punished."

"You have my backing, Baby Girl," Gemma told Val.

"We're going to have to leave after this," Val said slowly. "We're going to be stepping all over toes."

"Then we leave," Sam said clearly.

They exited the bus, Gemma and Donna going to stand a bit off from them.

"Weapons?" Toni asked.

"The two by fours used to protect the piano," Sam told her pointing.

Val nodded, "Excellent choice."

They all grabbed a board, approximately the size of a bat, and Mouse asked, "How to get him out here?"

"I'll lure him," Val said, decision made. "Just like we did for Kes."

"Okay." Toni nodded. "Go get him."

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"Their faces don't look right," Donna whispered to Gemma. She was worried for the girls, not the guy, fuck if they killed the bastard it would be more than he deserved. He  
deserved to suffer in a pit of hell for a hundred years.

"Those girls have gone through so much Hell in their lives, I think that this is how they handle the extreme stress. They protect the injured, and turn everything else inside, off," Gemma explained, wrapping her arm around Donna. "You sure you wanna watch this?"

Donna nodded, "Oh, I'm past sure. If those girls can do this, then I can damn sure watch."

Gemma kissed the other woman's forehead. "Good for you, Baby. I'm proud of you."

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Val gave her board to Sam to hold. Then she walked to the Clubhouse. People were starting to come out, perhaps heading to the ring, or just to get some air. Val pasted a flirty smile on her face. Jax never entered her mind. Her mind kept interchanging Kes and Vinnie. So fucking similar. She saw her target at the pool table with the twins he hung out with. She made to move past him and purposely bumped into him. "Oh, I'm so sorry," she giggled, reaching out to grab his arms. She felt like she could smell the blood on him.

He had been scowling until he turned and found who had stepped into him, then he gave a great smirking smile. "No problem, Cutie. It is pretty crowded in here."

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"What the fuck is happening over there," Jax felt a flash of fury as Val smiled up at the hang around. "Did she run into that guy on purpose?"

"That's weird," Opie responded. "She don't look right. Her smile is… weird."

"Maybe she's drunk," Tig said.

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"It's very crowded," she giggled again. "And warm. Maybe I should go get some air. Sorry I interrupted your game."

"Oh, don't you worry about a game. Why don't you let me help you with that? My name's Scott," he said, and as she turned, he put his arm around her shoulder.

"Val," she announced and tried not to shudder in revulsion.

"What the fuck is she doing?" Jax stood abruptly and started pushing through the crowd to get to Val and the hang around. Nothing she was doing was making sense.

As soon as they got outside, Val pointed to a cleared space. "You wanna go over there?"

"Sure."

The Sons had just managed to get through the door when Jax saw Val about two steps behind the man, and without any warning, she kicked him in the middle of his back,  
sending him sprawling.'

"What just happened?" Juice asked.

Happy watched as three of Val's sisters stepped up, they all had two by fours in their hands, Sam carrying two, and Sam tossed one of hers to Val.

Opie saw Donna standing with Gemma, and moved to get her out of there. "Come on, Babe."

Donna looked at him, "No, I'm not going anywhere."

Jax had moved up with his best friend, "What the fuck is going on Ma?" the anxiety was settling into his belly. His mom and Donna had these cold, remote looks on their faces.

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"What the fuck do you think you're doing you bitch!" Scott yelled, filled with rage. No piece of ass was going to kick him. He started to stand.

"You need to learn how to talk to women," Sam said as she twirled the board in her hand before bringing it down on the man's back.

Happy became concerned, first off, there were only four of the sisters there, and second, he had not seen such cold faces on the warm, friendly women before.

"Ahhh," Scott screamed.

The four women prowled around the man, none taking their eyes off of him. They looked like extremely dangerous predators.

"Stop right now," Clay ordered.

"Not happening, Clay," Val said. "We're going to finish this, and then we'll leave your property. We don't like to disrespect you."

"What the fuck is going on? I said stop!" he demanded.

"No," Gemma stated louder than he had been. She met his eyes to see the shock. "I approved of this. You don't like it, you can take yourself and the Sons and go back  
inside." She pointed to the Sons and then the Clubhouse. "He's not one of yours, and neither are they." She pointed to the sisters.

Clay had never seen her face so serious. Normally, she might argue, but mostly she deferred to him. He could not imagine what this shithead did to bring this storm of hell down upon him. He nodded slightly, and just backed up, not leaving the area.

The girls were still circling, and Mouse stopped to slam her board down on the man's foot.

"Stop hurting him!" one of his twin friend's yelled, but didn't step forward.

"We have questions for you," Toni said, pointing her board at the twins, and moving closer to the two men, almost prowling really. "I hope you little fuckers are prepared to answer."

"Toni?" Sledge tried to get her attention.

"No," she clipped out. "Stay out of this." Toni's eyes rose and she looked at all of the Sons, "All of you stay out of this. He's OURS." She met the eyes of Sledge, Jax, Happy, Juice, Kozik, Chibs and Tig. Her normally bright green eyes were empty.

Sledge looked at the Sons, "Remember when I said sometimes they can get scary… well, we're here. No sudden moves,." He turned back Toni, "Why Babe?"

Toni didn't respond, instead her hands tightening on her board, and she hit the man in the side.

Val responded, her voice flat. "Sledge, do you remember Mouse's graduation party?"

"Yeah."

"Do you remember what happened to Kes?"

Horror filled Sledge's face, "Is she okay? Where is she? Does she need…?"

Sam cut him off. "Not her. She is currently caring for and speaking with the girl. Because she understands. And maybe she can help."

Kozik's stomach turned. If he understood what they were saying… fuck.

Jax felt like his stomach just did a freefall from a skyscraper. Were they saying that... THAT happened here at the Clubhouse?

"So, tell us, Twin one," Sam's voice was filled with acid, "Were you part of Scott's little party?" Every once in a while she would spin the board in her hands.

The twins looked at each in pissed off confusion. "What party?"

Toni gave a hop and sent her boot into Scott's belly. Currently he was kneeling on all fours trying to catch his breath. "Scotty, did you only throw a one man party?" her voice was filled with sarcasm as she tilted her head to look at him.

"You're saying, you didn't hurt her?" Sam asked bluntly. still addressing the twins.

"Hurt someone? You're saying Scott HURT a girl?" Twin two asked.

"Hurt is a bit of a lenient term really, I would tend to go with words like, brutalize, destroy," Mouse elaborated. "or maybe something like 'Scott is a sadistic fuckhead' but yes, he hurt a girl. What, you didn't notice the blood on the jersey, or his bruised knuckles," Mouse stomped on said knuckles, "or how about the nail scratches down his neck?" Mouse pointed out.

Twin one looked at Scott in disgust, "What did you fucking do?"

"She wanted it!" Scott screamed.

Almost synchronized, Val and Sam stepped in and slammed their improvised weapons into both of Scott's arms, cause him to screech in pain. "Did she now?" Mouse spun her  
board.

"She comes to the parties, dresses the way she does, and thinks she's just gonna play house? She's new! She can't say no!"

"Did you hear that, Val?" Sam asked, putting on a shocked voice. "She can't say no!"

"I don't think you understand what that word means, so it's a good thing we're here to teach you the definition," Toni said coldly. "For instance, right now, you're her, telling  
us 'no', and we're you, completely ignoring your request... your pleas for mercy." She slammed the board into his lower back.

"See Scott, from your viewpoint, having come to a lot of these parties, maybe you feel the Sons wouldn't do anything to you for what you did," Val did not notice that her words pissed off a few of the men. "I don't know really, but you aren't going to be allowed to annihilate that girl and not suffer greatly." Val cocked her head to the side. "What was it, Toni? Right wrist sprained?"

"That's right."

Val slammed the board onto Scott's right wrist, and he fell to the side. "She wanted it, she wanted it," he was squealing.

Tig was starting to get a sick feeling in his stomach.

"Oh? Did she tell you that before or after she was begging you to fucking stop," Sam hissed, and hit him with the board again.

"Before our after you choked her?" Mouse added.

"Before our after you ripped her clothes off her body?" Val's teeth were clenched.

Sam looked at her board, and then at the other girls. "You know, we should really invest in either some golf clubs or baseball bats… I saw the coolest thing that a guy on The Walking Dead did to his baseball bat with barbed wire."

"Val," Kes's voice came from the edges of the crowd. Kozik looked at her face. She looked haunted.

"Hey, Kes, sweetie, how is our friend," Sam asked never taking her eyes off the man. Happy wondered what this was doing to her started shrieking again, Val had ducked in, and punched him in the eye. She shook out her hand as she continued her circle.

Jax winced for her. He saw her grimace as she shook her hand. From the way they were talking, and acting… the circling, and the way they worked together on the guy, it  
told Jax they'd done this before.

"I don't want to leave her for long," Kes said, "I just wanted you to know she's staying with us tonight."

"Of course."

Kes walked a few steps closer, and spit in the man's face. "You men think you should be able to have whatever you want," the rage burnt like fire in her shaky voice. Then  
she turned and headed back to the bus.

"Let's see, what else do we need to fix on Scott here," Val sneered.

"His other eye," Mouse said.

"His nose," Sam added.

"His mouth needs to be busted to shit." Toni said stonily, before backhanding him in said mouth.

"People like you," Val's whole body was shaking, "Big men looking at little girls, hurting and taking and never suffering… never paying a price."

Sam reached out and clasped Val's free hand. They'd both been in the foster home where the father, Daddy Daniel, a giant of a man had molested them. Normally they could deal, but seeing Vinnie…

Val let go of Sam's hand, and moved in again to slam her fist into Scott's nose. The crunch was audible and blood gushed. Val hissed in pain, and shook her hand again.

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Jax knew Val was not okay. She was hurting herself in hurting the man, and she was trembling in what he could only guess were horrible memories; memories that she and Sam shared. He remembered at the hospital how she tried to avoid talking about foster care, or the home. He just wanted to step up and hold her, but followed Sledge's  
lead. Sledge kept a careful watch on Toni, but didn't move or speak to her.

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"I'll get his other eye," Mouse told her sister. "You need both hands to perform. I don't need either one of mine." And then she proceeded to blacken his second eye.

Toni knelt and grabbed Scott by his hair, lifting his head up, "Just think, we haven't even begun on the lower half of your body yet," she said in a falsely cheerful voice.

Val looked over at Gemma, to make sure she wasn't disgusted with the girls. Gemma saw Val's face, and nodded at her. Relief entered the blonde's eyes. She was so tired.

Happy stepped up to Val, and she tensed, but he just gave her a look. "You gonna kill him?"

"He deserves it," she whispered picturing Vinnie's face.

"Not even questioning that. Someone does that to a girl, ain't got no rights anymore."

Val looked at Happy gratefully.

"Who was it?" Tig asked, his voice shaking in anxiety,

The women wouldn't look at him. Just stared at the ground.

"Where's Vinnie?" he tried again. Tig started pulling his hair, "Where's Vinnie?" he screamed. "Vinnie?"

When it seemed like no one was going to respond, a small voice responded. "I'm here, Tig."

Everyone looked over. The blood was washed off, but she looked like she'd been an extra in a gore film. Kes helped her walk forward, she hobbled stiffly in the flannel  
pajamas Kes had put her in after she had bathed. A blanket was wrapped around her shoulders, but the purple bruising was still visible.

"Jesus Christ," Jax barely spoke the words. It looked like the hang around tried to kill her. This had happened on their home turf. One of their girls got hurt at the Clubhouse.  
He wanted to shoot the man in the dick, just as a start.

"Don't get upset," Vinnie addressed Tig in her hoarse voice. "This isn't going to come back on the club," she promised. "I called Val and she came and got me, and they took  
care of me. I didn't want you guys to see me like this," she finished tears falling down her cheeks.

Tig kept taking a step towards her, and then backing away, as worries kept running through his mind that he would scare her.

"It's okay. I didn't figure I'd see much of you tonight anyways. I mean, I had you a few nights in a row," she couldn't move her lips into a smile. "So really, it was time for you  
to move on anyway. I was just really stupid."

"What?" he asked. He wasn't understanding what she was talking about. Chibs moved up and whispered in the other man's ear, and Tig looked even more shocked.

Vinnie just kept talking, "When he told me that you were looking for me, I didn't even stop to think it wasn't the truth. And then I just figured he was playing a cruel joke, when he told me you'd already picked your Crow-eater for the night. I was so silly to not think of that before. Of course you had already grabbed a girl. I should have KNOWN." She shook her head very slowly.

"No," Kes told her. "Doesn't matter what you thought, who you believed, who you've slept with, what you've had to drink, or what you wore. This is on him, not on you.  
You're just the one who has to live with it."

Vinnie nodded, "Yeah… yeah. I mean I know that, I've said similar things to friends, but then..." She looked at the bleeding man lying on the ground between four of the sisters who had come to mean so much to her. "Is it wrong that seeing him suffer makes me feel better?"

"Some people might say yes." Sam told her, "But no, there's not a thing wrong with it."

Vinnie looked at Tig again, he looked like he was in pain. "No more yelling, okay? Everything is okay. I'm going to go lay down. Kes gave me some medicine and I'm very tired."

She had turned, when Tig spoke abruptly, "Lay down with me. I won't touch you."

Vinnie looked very surprised. "But…"

"Please," he choked out.

"Come on," Kes told the smaller girl, "I'll help get you settled in Tig's room. You'll feel better tomorrow. And a little more each day after. It'll sneak up on you sometimes, but it gets easier."

Kozik found himself following Kes, Vinnie, and Tig into the Clubhouse and into the dorms. His heart was thumping painfully, and he just wanted to hug Kes. If she'd let him.

"Clay," Willie from Tacoma spoke, "I gotta say, I like these girls of yours. Didn't like the part where they didn't think we'd take care of our own, but, maybe they just don't know us well enough yet," he moved forward. "They got the right idea of it. But darlin', I was hoping to see your pretty face singing. Not hurting yerself teaching a man  
lessons he should have already known."

Val gave a half smile. She was exhausted, her entire hand throbbed, and she knew they had to leave this lot that night. "The Sons in Houston didn't do anything," she told the man.

"That so?" he asked. "That when your little friend was hurt?" he was talking about Kes.

Val just nodded.

"They didn't even vote on it," Sam murmured.

The man looked at Clay and the two shared a smile. "Gals, while I have complete faith that you could continue fucking up this piece of shit, why don't you let us prove to you  
that we're not all like your Houston Chapter."

The four girls looked at each other. Val dropped her board and began walking towards the bus. Sam's board dropped a second later, and she hurried to put her arm around her sister. Mouse moved around the downed man, and kicked him in the balls. Then she gave him a nasty smile while he cried, "I hope they make it slow and painful."

Then she went to Toni, and the two followed Val and Sam to the bus.

The men began to move closer to Scott. Clay stopped at Gemma, and she braced herself for a fight. Instead he leaned in and kissed her, "You're a strong, fierce woman, Baby. I got lucky you picked me." 


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I do not own, or make profit from The Son of Anarchy, nor do I own or make profit from any of the music used in the story.

I do not condone the use of alcohol, drugs, and/or violence.

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Gemma left the men to climb onto the bus, Donna right behind her. The four girls managed to fit onto one couch, all cuddling into each looked at Gemma, "Do you think we're monsters?"

"What? Why would you think that?" Gemma asked softly.

"Because we're able to do that to someone," Mouse shrugged. "It wasn't hard to hurt him."

"You aren't monsters," Donna told them. "Your friend needed you. And not only did you make sure she was taken care of, but you also took care of her attacker, which was something else she needed."

"We have to leave now," Val whispered.

"You girls aren't going anywhere," Gemma snorted. "You all saw me fight for you out there. Clay could have kept fighting me, but he didn't. He doesn't expect you to leave, and in fact, I'm fairly certain you would piss him off, not to mention other people, if you tried to leave." Gemma gave them a serious look. "Now, instead of hiding on this bus, because there is no reason for you to hide, we're going to get you into the clubhouse and get ice on some hands before they swell up and are useless to you."

The girls changed into their pajamas, long flannel pants and t-shirts, and followed Gemma into the Clubhouse. It was quiet outside on their short walk. Everyone seemed to be gone. They filed into the kitchen, and heard murmuring coming from the lounge area. Kes was already in the kitchen having coffee. The five girls moved together and held each other, placing their foreheads together the way they had the day Mouse had shown up.

Gemma and Donna filled two large pots with ice, and made Val and Mouse soak their hands they'd used in the beat down. Gemma leaned her head into the lounge and motioned for Chibs to enter the kitchen.

"I need you to make sure they didn't break anything in their hands," Gemma told him, her voice the only noise in the room.

Chibs was looking over Mouse's hand when the Sons who had decided the girls were theirs entered the kitchen.

Happy moved over to Sam, and she looked up at him. "Let's go to bed."

She nodded, hugged all of her sisters, and left the room.

Sledge was next, and he picked Toni up and carried her out.

"Ye've got a broken knuckle, Lass," Chibs murmured. "I think it'll be fine as long as we wrap it really well."

Mouse nodded, staring down at the offending appendage. Juice took the stool behind her, scooted closer, and pulled her into his body, kissing the top of her head.

Kozik looked at Kes. "Stay in my room tonight? I'll sleep on the floor, or in the chair…"

"I will be really pissed off if I stay in your room and you don't sleep in the bed," she told him softly, with a serious look.

"Nothing broken, love," Chibs told Val. "Might be a little swollen for a day or two, but if you continue to move it, all should be fine."

"Thank you," Val murmured.

Once she heard that Val was okay, Kes and Kozik left.

Gemma moved over to Val and Mouse, while Opie moved over to Donna. He hugged her tightly, and she held him back.

Jax had moved up next to Val, and was softly brushing her hair away from her face.

Gemma kissed both girls on the cheek. "You both need to sleep." Then she focused on Val. "And you need to stop thinking we're going to kick you out, or that you have to  
leave. We WANT you here."

Val nodded slightly.

"Come on, I'll tuck you in," Jax told her. They walked down the hall past dorm rooms, and Jax stopped at his, "Do you want to stay in here with me tonight?" he hoped she said yes.

She nodded and he opened his door. Val moved to the bed, and crawled over to the side close to the wall, putting Jax between her and the door. Jax lay down, and wrapped his arms around her. She was shuddering and he figured she was suffering from a bit of shock. "You're so brave. Like a little warrior queen," he started speaking softly to her. "I'm so glad you're here, Valeria. Don't leave. No one here is going to make you, so if you go it would be entirely your decision. I don't want you to leave."

Val turned over in his arms so that she could put her arm over his chest, and her head laying atop his heartbeat. It was soothing. "You're not scared about how fucked up we are?"

"No. We're just as fucked up. I hate that things happened to you in the past. But everything up until now brought you to me. I think you're super smart, super scary, a little crazy, and a whole helluva lot of wonderful."

Val smiled a little bit. "Thank you."

"Get some sleep, Darlin'."

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The next morning Val woke up wrapped in Jax's arms. She felt warm and safe. But she had to pee. She managed to crawl out of the bed without waking him up, and instead of using his bathroom, headed down to the room she'd been using. Half an hour later she'd peed, showered, and was ready for the day to begin. She was just praying it was a little calmer than the few days before. Too much drama.

Flexing her hand, Val felt it was a little sore, but not bad overall. Probably a good thing when Mouse took over that portion of the night's retribution.

Not many people were up when she made her way out of the Clubhouse. They'd covered the piano with a specialty tarp the night before, and Val pulled it off. Best way to tell  
if the hand was going to give her problems would be to play. She wasn't performing, just playing, but of course she found herself singing a long, her voice soft in the quiet of the early morning.

Let me in your room  
I've seen the rest of you  
But I know there's something more in your room  
I'm right outside your door  
Show me things you've never shown before

A few pictures from your past  
And those walls you painted black  
And the secrets that you keep under your bed  
All you have to do, is let me in your room

You can be yourself  
You don't have to hide from me I won't tell  
I know everyone you've ever trusted has let you down  
And you don't want to come out  
And show me, show me

Getting lost in the music, Val continued to play, her voice getting a little stronger. Like the night she played the acoustic guitar, she didn't notice she'd drawn the attention of bikers and Crow-eaters. The music brought sheer joy to her. Whether she was by herself, with her sisters, with one person listening or a crowd, music fed her soul.

A few pictures from your past  
And those walls you painted black  
And the secrets that you keep under your bed  
All you have to do, is let me in your room

You know every part of me  
I let you in, I let you see  
All the dark and every color of my room  
Let me do that for you  
And tell me all about your past  
Why you painted those walls black  
Baby it's all right you're safe in here with me  
Open up so I can see

A few pictures from your past  
And those walls you painted black  
And the secrets that you keep under your bed  
An unopened letter from your dad  
A poster of your favorite band  
It don't matter, I'll take every part of you  
All you have to do is let me in your room

Let me in your room

As the last note trailed away, clapping began, and her eyes popped open. She flushed to see the attention she'd garnered. "I was just seeing if my hand was okay to play," she murmured.

The girls decided on a quiet day by the time they were all up. They had checked on Vinnie, who looked miserable, so they gave her another pain pill which would allow her to sleep. Tig hovered over her like a protective bear. After that, they went out to the bus, got into their bikinis and cutoffs, and dragged out some lawn chairs, a few acoustic guitars, and their notebooks so they could work on their music. This is how they normally started; brainstorming, throwing out ideas, and possible lyrics they'd thought of at some point.

At this point the guys had gotten to work in the garage. It was soothing to hear the girls' quiet murmuring. They were all still worried about their girls. But they didn't want to hover. Sam had hopped up to go into the bus, and came out shortly after carrying a violin case. She handed it to Val, who opened it, and played a series of notes making a melody, and then all of the women started nodding and writing.

"How many instruments does Val play?" Juice asked.

Sledge was helping the guys out while they were visiting, and he stared at the ceiling for a minute. "Let me think… Val plays something like eight. Sam plays about six, and Kes and Toni play four."

Mouse sat with her sisters, but just worked on soaking up the sunshine.

Jax heard the car pulling up outside and watched as Clay approached Deputy Sheriff Hale. He heard Mouse give a little squeak before she said, "Oh my God it's Minute-Dick!" Which almost made Jax snort. He had to wonder how she came up with the name.

"Shit, hide Val," Kes's voice was horrified.

Jax looked over and saw Val's cute nose wrinkled up at seeing the man. "He can't possibly be here to see me."

Clay walked over to Jax hiding a smile, and Jax saw Hale walking over to Val. He frowned. "Apparently, they met at the diner and he just wanted to stop by to say, 'hi'."

Jax looked at Clay like he was nuts, "What is he twelve again wanting to ask a girl to the school dance?"

Sam was chuckling as the cop began his way over to where they sat, "Oh, he's definitely here for you."

"It's not funny, Sam," Val was frowning.

"Well, good morning, Ladies," the man actually tipped his hat to them.

Mouse started coughing, "Sorry swallowed wrong."

"Good morning, Deputy Sheriff Hale," Val said politely.

"I remembered that you said you liked music," he began, "And my church is putting on a concert. I was wondering if you'd like to join me?"

All five girls stared at him dumbfounded.

"It's a lovely offer, but I'm going to have to decline."

Hale looked dejected. "Oh, I see, well, I will get out of your way then."

The guys decided to take a break for lunch and headed over to the ladies. "What'd Hale want?" Jax asked as they approached.

"Awwww, I think Valli girl broke Minute-Dick's wittle heart," Mouse said and waved to the officer as he pulled out of the lot.

"Brave of him to come to enemy territory," Toni stated.

Sam decided to share since Val still looked pissy. "He was just here to invite Val to go with him to a concert."

Jax felt anger burn through his body. He knew Hale didn't know about their relationship, but he still got pissed.

Val narrowed her eyes at Sam. "He invited me to church."

Jax rubbed her neck, and she leaned back to smile up at him. "You wanna go see Abel with me later?"

"Jax?"

"Yeah?"

"You don't ever have to ask me if I want to go see Abel with you. All you need to do is tell me when we're going," she said softly.

He smiled at her, and ran his knuckles gently up and down her cheek. "We'll go about seven."

"I'll be ready."

"I'd better get back to work," he sighed dropping a kiss on her upside down lips. Jax was walking back to the garage, when he turned and ran back over to Val. She was  
about to speak, when he swooped in kissed her, one of his hands held her so he could kiss her as he liked.

His blood pressure skyrocketed. He hated to sound like a pussy, but he'd never felt the way he felt kissing Valeria Winters. Her sisters were cheering, and the guys were cat-calling. He pulled away, and she was looking at him a bit dazed. "Sorry, Darlin', he told her, his voice a bit deeper than normal, "I had to do that first."

She gave him a brilliant smile, "Any time."

He was still sporting a huge grin, and a hard on, when he straightened. Thank god for coveralls. That's when he noticed that at some point Tara had arrived on the lot. She was looking between him and Val with not a small amount of shock. Probably because she thought she'd scared Val off. Bitch. He walked over, and bless Opie, but he approached the car as well. "Something we can help you with, Doctor?"

"M-My brakes," she stammered out. "I think they're going out."

"We can take a look at 'em for ya," Jax shrugged.

"Great! Do you think you could give me a ride home?"

Jax immediately started shaking his head, "Sorry I can't; I need to stick close by for Val. It's been a rough couple of days and she needs me."

"So you can't take fifteen minutes to take an old friend home?" she snapped.

"I can probably," he started and saw her smug smile. She should fucking finish listening before smiling. "Get one of the boys to take you home. It would have to either be.."  
Jax was trying to think who wasn't involved with a new girl. "Well, either Half Sack, Chibs, or Bobby."

"I think Chibs is going to try to help with Tig," Opie told his best friend.

"Dr. Knowles," Val had approached the car where they were talking. Jax grabbed her hand, and she leaned into him.

"Hello again," Tara's mouth twisted a little bitterly. Obviously the girl was going to now rub her face in Jax's new relationship.

"I was hoping we could possibly impose on you for a moment," Val asked.

"Val, I don't think that's a good idea," Jax murmured.

"Jax, she's not going to let Chibs look at her," she told him. "And though I tried my best, I don't know that I did everything she needed."

Jax leaned into her and kissed her forehead. Val might not be obvious to Tara, but Jax was damned well going to get the point across. "You know better than me for this one,  
Darlin'."

Val waited for Jax and Opie to head back into the garage, and she turned to Tara. "Our friend was brutally raped last night," this got a shocked look from the doctor, "She didn't go to the police. Refuses to. It was one of the hang arounds. I have seen something similar, and I tried to do my best, checking for anything she might need, but I'm not a doctor. I know you don't like me, but I'm hoping you'll check her over. Please?"

Tara was already nodding, "Of course," she got out of the car with her bag, and saw the girl, Val, nod to the other four girls sitting down.

On their way into the Clubhouse, they ran into Gemma. "Hey, Baby Girl, how are you doing?" she asked Val, smoothing a fly away piece of blonde hair away from the girl's face.

"I'm good, Gemma," Val hugged Gemma tightly.

Gemma nodded to Tara, "Doctor. You going to look in on Vinnie?"

Tara just nodded. Val continued down the hall, and if Tara remembered correctly they were at Tig's room. Val tapped softly. Tig whipped the door open. "I thought you were  
Chibs."

"We asked Dr. Knowles to check on Vin," Val said soothingly. "I think Vinnie would probably feel better with a woman doctor, no matter how wonderful our Chibs is."

Tig was nodding rapidly, "Yeah, yeah, of course, makes total sense." Then he looked directly at Tara, "Thank you." He turned to face the room. "Hey, beautiful, we've got a lady doctor come to see you."

Tara heard the small voice protest. "I don't want cops, no."

Val walked in, "Vin, no cops. This is a friend of Jax. She works at the hospital. I really think that if you aren't going to go to the hospital, we should still have her look you over."

Vinnie nodded hesitantly, and Val let Tara into the room. Fortunately, Tara knew how to keep her thoughts to herself. Because as soon as she saw the girl she was surprised Vinnie was still alive. Tara smiled at the girl. "Let's just check you over a little. That way if you need antibiotics, or something, I can prescribe it right now."

"I'll wait in the hall," Tig said abruptly.

Val nodded, "I will too. But I'll be right outside." She closed the door on her way out and then stepped to Tig to give him a hug.

"I'm confused," he admitted. "She keeps talking about how she knows that she had her turn…and she thinks I'm just going to leave her…. To go hook up with a Crow-eater. But Chibs said she likes me."

Val wondered how much to say, and then decided, fuck it, "Tig, Vinessa is under the impression that you sleep with one of the Club girls, and immediately move onto the next. She likes you a lot, but she's never thought you would return her feelings. So, she thought she was going to have to be happy being able to be with you whenever you decided it was her turn again."

Realization began to show behind his vivid blue eyes. "But I kept her with me three nights in a row. I had her stay the entire night."

"I don't think she realizes that you don't see her the same as other club girls."

"You see it though, right?"

"My sisters and I all see it. And we're super happy about it. She's an amazing girl, and you're a great guy. And if it continues in this pattern, I think you'll take good care of  
her."

Tig flushed a bit. "Yeah… yeah, you're right. I will."

A few minutes later Tara came out of the room. "She's doing well. Better than a lot of other people would be doing. I did give her a prescription for antibiotics, but, you did everything you could for her last night. She's not in need of stitches, and you kept her calm. I don't know what you did to settle her so much, but I think she's going to be okay."

"Thank you," Val nodded. "I figure in a few months we'll start talking to her about visiting with someone. I appreciate your help, Dr. Knowles." Val led Tara out of the  
clubhouse, and back to her car. "I heard Jax saying he was going to have Bobby or Half Sack give you a ride home. Did you have a preference between them?"

"Half Sack wasn't here back then…" she leaned and whispered. "Why do they call him Half Sack?"

"He lost a testicle when he was in the marines. Something about a bomb or explosion. My sisters and I don't call him that. His name is Kip."

Tara sighed. She wanted to pitch a big fit until she got her way and Jax took her home. But here was this young woman, at least six years younger than Tara herself, showing poise and common courtesy. She wasn't smug, or rude. "Bobby would be fine."

As Bobby took the doctor home, Val headed back to her sisters and her music.

"That was his ex?" Sam asked, worrying for her sister and her heart again. She remembered Tara from the hospital. Sam looked at where Jax was busy in the garage. Sam  
was terrified he was going to break Val's heart.

"He's definitely upgrading with you," Mouse snorted.

"She's a doctor," Val reminded them. She couldn't help it. Tara was beautiful, had history with Jax, was a doctor, and wore a crow that once belonged to Jax. Val had no problem being confident, but this was different.

"I don't care if she's the fucking President, he's still upgrading with you."

Bobby had only been back a few minutes when Clay called for Church. Jax winked at her before heading inside.

9898989

Clay banged the gavel. "As you all can see, we have our brothers from Tacoma here with us, they'll be going on home tomorrow." The men all nodded to each other.

The President of the Tacoma Chapter, Willie, smiled, "We appreciate you having us."

"You said you and your men had some questions?"

"Well, hell, Clay, a few of my boys were interested in knowing if any of those young ladies were available. They respect the no touching without permission, especially after  
last night's demonstration. Some of the boys are looking for something more permanent, and were thinking those Houston girls seemed like good picks."

Clay looked around at his men, hell. What did he do in this situation? "Toni is Sledge's Old Lady."

"Val is spoken for," Jax stated clearly. His eyes flicked over to meet Happy's, Kozik's, and Juice's. "If I had to, I would say they were all spoken for."

"But they ain't wearing no one's tattoo yet?" Willie's SAA asked.

Jax's teeth clenched. "No."

"So it's up to them if they wanna give us some time?" Another man said.

"If you feel strongly enough about trying," Kozik's face was like stone.

Val saw the anger riding Jax as soon as they came out of Church. In fact, Juice, Kozik and Happy looked pretty pissed off too. She hated that look on Jax's handsome face.  
Hearing her sisters muttering about the looks on their men's faces, Val headed for Jax, hoping to put a smile on his face.

As soon as she reached him, he jerked her into his arms, pulling her head up so their lips could meet. Oh my god, she thought as her body started burning up. He picked her  
up, and her legs wrapped around his waist, her hands buried in his hair, holding his mouth to hers. This wasn't just showing her affection. This was him claiming her in front of everyone. It made her heart race.

His mouth moved to her neck. "What's wrong, Baby?" she whispered.

"The Tacoma Sons asked if any of you were available."

"And?"

"And I said you were spoken for, but they pointed out that none of you except for Toni was wearing a man's tattoo. So that gave them the right to see if you were interested."

"So was this to show them whose I was, or to show me?" She nipped at his ear.

He took a deep breath. "I'm sorry," he said and started to pull away. But she held him to her.

"Did I ask for an apology?" she smiled at him. "If this makes you feel better, then do it. You made me feel better. So mark me," she whispered and bared her neck for his  
teeth.

"You, Valeria, are more than a man could even hope to dream of."

She laughs, and the sound brought a smile to hia face, chasing all of hia anger off. Let those guys flirt and hope. He got the girl. But he still left his mark on her neck.

(Songs: In Your Room—Halestorm)


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: I do not own, or make profit from The Son of Anarchy, nor do I own or make profit from any of the music used in the story.

I do not condone the use of alcohol, drugs, and/or violence. I do not condone violence towards animals. In fact I would say I would rather condone violence towards humans rather than animals... but I don't condone either.

98989898

The girls were loading up the tour bus, as well as the instrument trailer. Their first summer concert was in three days. They were going to finish loading up, sleep the night and head up the next morning. They wanted to be able to listen to the other bands playing, as well as get a feel for their set up. Clay was sending Sledge, Jax, Happy, Juice, Kozik, Half Sack, and the Houston Prospect, Angelo with the girls for protection. Bruno had told him that everything had been quiet back home, but Clay wanted to make sure everything was taken care of. If he could, they'd all be going, but someone had to man the home front. Opie and Donna would be going to a different festival over the summer months.

Jax watched Val bounce around from one area to another. Checking to make sure she had everything, stocking the bus with snacks, double checking to make sure she had everything. They'd only be gone for three days. He had the feeling she would be one of those moms that packed everything for her kids, checked it three times, and on the way out of town stopped for a few extras. He was going to miss his little man, but his mom would go to see him every day, and Jax knew that he couldn't always be there. He would have runs to take in the future too. Jax was grateful for his mom, Donna, and Opie.

The Tacoma members had headed home, and much to their displeasure, none of them had made any leeway with the young women. Mouse had straight up told one man to get out of her face or she'd stomp him into the ground, she was quite happy with her Puerto Rican.

Val thought Jax looked lost in thought. She moved over to him, and put her hand on his arm where he was sitting in a chair facing the lot, and he reached out pulling her into his lap. She smiled down at him.

"You done packing?" he asked, smirking at her.

She sighed. She knew she got a little bit nuts when it came to packing and being prepared. She was a tiny bit OCD. "Yes. I was driving Sam crazy."

"I sort of thought she looked like she might strangle you."

Val's lower lip pouted a little. "I can't help it."

"You're perfect, Darlin'. Don't worry about it."

"Jax," she sounded hesitant.

He brushed her hair away from her face. He loved her hair. His hands were always curling into it when he was on top of her, in her. He wouldn't mind being in her right now. "Yeah, Babe?"

"Because we don't tour, we don't get bothered too much by press, but… when we do play a concert, well, we get a lot of attention."

Yep, he could see that happening. Being a mostly male dominated genre, being talented, and looking the way they looked.

"They're going to ask us if we're seeing anyone, or who you all are," she continued.

"Alright. What's your question, Darlin'?"

"I don't know what to say," she whispered.

Such a confident, beautiful woman, but men had screwed around with her head enough that she still didn't know he was crazy for her. "Do you honestly want to know what I think, or feel?" he asked.

She nodded, her face serious.

"We've only known each other a few weeks, and I want you. I want you always. I don't want you going back to Houston when all is said and done." He met her stormy gray eyes and saw her face light up with pleasure and something more. "I don't care if it's been two weeks, two years, two days… I want you to be my Old Lady." She gasped. "MY Old Lady. The only woman I'll be with for the rest of my days. And I'll be the only man you're with, the rest of yours."

"Jax…" she whispered.

"So I just need you to decide if that's what you want. And then we get Happy to give you a crow." His tone was matter of fact. "I want it right here," he smoothed his hand on her left hip. "That way, whenever I have my hand there I know it's there. My crow. My mark. Mine."

"Sledge will have to petition to join your chapter," she whispered.

"Oh yeah?" he didn't look away from her.

She nodded. "Didn't you remember, we're a package deal Jax Teller? We're a package deal. You want me, you get all of us… nosy, troublesome…"

"Adventurous, protective," he countered. "You should know by now that I adore your sisters. Gives Sledge some help keeping all you girls out of trouble."

Val's smile made her whole face shine. "I want your crow, Jackson Teller. But, you should know. If you give it to me, it won't EVER be old ink. I will never leave you."

"Good choice." He whispered, putting his forehead to hers. He wasn't one to normally talk feelings, hell, were any of them? But Valeria Winters was worth it.

Val pushed her lips into his, opening her mouth so he could slip his tongue in, tasting his mouth with her own tongue. Kissing Jax felt like the first time, every time. She was sure it wouldn't always be that way, but she knew it would always be good.

"Ladies," Gemma yelled from the office. "You have a package."

Val jumped off of Jax's lap, and he began chuckling at her in her excitement, and she headed towards Gemma who was holding a box about the size of a shoe box, wrapped in brown paper, and edged in duct tape. "Who's it to, Gemma?"

"It's to your band name."

All the girls were moving over now. They loved getting presents. Although it was possible this was their new contract from Mags. Which was a bit worrisome. Sam got to Gemma first and grabbed the box. Nope, not from Mags. It came from Colorado. The girls crowded around, and Kes sliced through the paper so that Sam could open the package.

"What's that on your hand, Kes?" Val asked frowning.

Kes looked down and saw that her hand had dark red fluid on it. She frowned, not knowing where it came from. And then Sam started screaming. Followed shortly by the others.

All Sam wanted to do was drop the box, but she couldn't force her fingers to release the box. It was filled with red, viscous fluid and a cat's head, the eyes stabbed out. Val  
had jumped at the scream, seen what was in the box, and had fallen backwards, trying to scramble away. Toni was holding onto Sam, crying now, and trying to keep her eyes closed, but also trying to pull Sam away from the horror. Kes stood frozen, her hands clenched, the blood that had gotten on her hand when she'd cut the box open, drying to her body. She couldn't look away.

People were running, but all of the girls had checked out. Someone had cut an innocent animal's head off and sent it to them. Sam felt her heart beating in her throat, felt lightheaded, and then fell to the ground in a dead faint.

Val was still letting out short screams, and when Sam fell, the box hit the dirt. Fortunately, it didn't flip over, but some of the thick blood splashed out. Toni had now spun, staggering a few feet away to puke. And still Kes didn't move.

Mouse had joined them, and was looking down in horror. "Ohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygod," she kept whispering, as she had trouble breathing.

Jax pulled Val up against his body, pulling her farther back. "It's okay, Baby, it's okay." He tried to soothe, not able to keep his eyes away from the dead animal.

Sledge barely gave the box a passing glance, "Jesus Christ," he murmured as he moved to Toni.

Kozik didn't bother talking yet, he swept Kes into his arms, walking away, forcing her gaze from the mutilated remains.

Happy had already picked Sam up, and started moving her into the Clubhouse, where he could get some water for her.

Juice stood in front of Mouse, "Michelle, Babe, come back to me. Focus on me. Come on, Babe, we need to go inside"

Gemma had run for Clay with the first scream, and the big man looked furious upon seeing the contents. "Fuck! Half Sack," he bellowed, as he put his arm around Gemma who was shuddering. "I need you to put all of this into a bigger box, put it somewhere it won't be seen. Try your best to make sure not to leave any sign it was here."

The younger man nodded. How could someone do this to these girls? They were always so nice.

The bikers began escorting the women in, or in some cases just carrying them into, the Clubhouse.

Sam had awoken and was looking at Happy, "Why?"

He rubbed her check softly, "Sick fuck," he said gently.

Juice had led Mouse into the Clubhouse and had taken a seat in a chair, pulling her into his lap. Now he was muttering things to her in another language, she was assuming Spanish, and it was helping.

Kozik was washing Kes's hands off in the sink, since she still seemed too much in shock to do for herself. After they were clean. He moved to a seat, and held her, rocking her back and forth gently.

Sledge made Toni meet his eyes. He had her rinsing her mouth out, and was rubbing her back.

It was so quiet in the Clubhouse. Jax held Val to him in a tight grip, and she shuddered every few moments. Chibs moved over, and pointed to her hands, which Jax could now see were scraped up, probably from where she fell trying to get away.

"I called Bruno," Clay said softly. "They haven't gotten anything there since Ash brought you that envelope. But… Ash never came back." He looked at Sledge. "Is it possible that Ash is the person doing this?"

Sledge was already shaking his head. "Ash is a dick, but I honestly don't think he's the one doing this."

"We didn't know him when this started." Val said.

Sam looked at her quizzically.

"Think about it, Sam, think WAY back. Remember when we started getting those notes? The ones talking like they knew us. Like we were friends. We took them as regular fan mail…, but right after those stopped, we started getting more threatening notes. Then the pictures. Ash wasn't around when we were getting those first notes. And what if those first notes were the beginning. We didn't respond, so they upped their twisted little game."

"That's been years now, Val," Kes said hoarsely.

Val nodded. "I know. I never really thought about them all coming from one place."

"What made you think that now, Val?" Clay asked.

"A few things. Colorado. Those first 'friendly' notes came from Colorado. The duct tape on the box. The friendly notes, and then the first few negative ones had duct tape around the edges. And…"

"Oh my god," Sam whispered, "the cat."

Val nodded.

"What about the cat?" Happy questioned.

"The friendly person. Sent us a picture of their cat saying they had named it after us; Darkness. One big family. Again, acting like he or she knew us, about how they couldn't wait to see us again. Like we'd spent time together before." Val filled in.

Toni was nodding. "I remember yall getting those. We didn't think it was too big of a deal because fans send those kinds of letters sometimes. The, let's be friends, letters."

"So it's been going on for years," Sam said faintly. "Years, someone has been watching me and Val, and I never even realized."

Val was shaking her head. "Neither did I. But, putting everything together, it all makes a twisted sense."

"We might actually be in danger," Sam murmured. They had never really thought the threat was real. They knew other performers who got sicko fan mail, and nothing ever came of it. But if this had been happening for years, and just… escalating. "What did we do?"

"I don't know," Val answered. "But it must've been horrible for someone to do this to us."

"Nothing," Happy hissed, and took Sam's chin making her look at him. "You did nothing wrong."

"This person's just sick, Darlin'. You and Sam didn't do anything to deserve this. You did nothing to make any of it happen."

9898989

Val and Sam went to take a nap, while everyone else found busy work.

"Are you okay, Val?" Sam asked.

"I'm terrified. Of the stalker, finding out how long it's been going on. Of getting so serious with Jax so quickly. What if I endanger him by being with him? And as stupid as it sounds, because there are bigger things to worry about, I'm thinking about what to do if he changed his mind about me."

"Why would he change his mind?"

Val trembled a little. She hadn't voiced her concerns to anyone. She didn't want to put her fears into words. "Sam, I might be pregnant. I thought it was due to stress, but I haven't had my period. And Kes and Toni started a week ago."

Sam took in a deep breath. "Wow."

"Yeah."

"Val… I AM pregnant." Then Sam burst into tears.

Val pulled her sister into her arms. "Oh, Sam, shhhh, have you told Happy yet?"

"No," Sam choked out. "What if it drives him a way?"

"He seems crazy about you."

"But we've never talked about long term relationships, staying together, whether or not we wanted kids. What if he hates kids? What if this was just temporary? I just can't tell him yet."

Val nodded. "I understand. I don't know for sure, but I can't tell Jax."

"But you said he did want something long term."

"He asked me to be his Old Lady," she told her friend.

"That's wonderful, then why would you be worried…"

"Abel." Val said the one word simply. "Abel is so young, and still in the hospital. That baby boy needs all of his daddy's attention… and here I come telling him he's going to have another one? That's a lot of pressure for one guy. I wouldn't get rid of it, if he asked. I'm hoping it's all just stress, but…"

"We make quite the pair, huh?" Sam gave a cynical chuckle. "We're just so fucking smart."

Val gave a wry laugh, "Yeah, so much for using protection."

"So, we need to get you test," Sam was thinking out loud. "That's the first thing. Get a yes or a no."

"I guess so."

"No guessing to it sister of mine. Once we know, we plan from there." Sam took a deep breath. "If you are, you will tell him, right?"

Val nodded slowly. "I will. It would be wrong not to. But, I wouldn't expect the offer he gave me earlier to still be available."

"Yeah, I understand that fear. I will tell Happy," Sam looked into Val's eyes. "But not today."

989898989

As they were leaving town the next day, Sam made them stop at a Wal-Mart making an excuse about needing to buy something. She and Val were the only two who went in. Val bought the test quickly and went to the public restroom. Sam paced outside of the stall. A few minutes later she heard weeping.

"Val," Sam sounded hesitant.

Val came out holding the little white stick, the plus signs showing. "I've ruined everything," she sobbed.

Sam pulled her into a hug, "Shhh, you haven't done anything of the sort. And it's not like you got this way on your own."

"It's all over, Sam, I know it. I know he won't want to have another child so close to Abel. I know it," Val, still weeping chunked the test in the bottom of the trash can, and washed her hands. She blotted her face with cold water. She still looked like she'd been crying but it wasn't as bad.

Jax, Happy, and Kozik were riding, and along with the instrument trailer, they were hauling Juice's bike. Sam and Val rushed out of the store, throwing a quick smile to the guys, and getting onto the bus as quickly as possible. Val hoped they'd been quick enough that her red splotchy face wasn't noticed. If it was she would simply blame it on  
stress.

By the time they got to San Francisco, it was mid-day, and everyone was ready to grab something to eat before going to the festival grounds and setting up. Once they did get to their spot to hook up, everyone was in a good mood. The people running the festival had given them a good spot to park, and Val could see it was better than Stacy's, which probably pissed the other woman off. Which meant she'd be dealing with that petty bullshit.

Angelo and Half Sack had finished getting everything hooked up, and the trailers taken off the hitch, while everyone else set up camping chairs and coolers.

"There's that beautiful blonde!" A man's voice growled out, and suddenly arms were around Val's waist, spinning her in a circle.

Jax almost went for his ka-bar. The man was tall and skinny, but his arms were corded with muscle. He was clean shaven and wore a pair of glasses. And he was only wearing long shorts. Jax did not like the man touching Val, but he didn't want to do anything in case this was one of Val's friends. Several more men were joining their group.

"Ike," she shrieked, "Put me down, you lout!"

"Lout?" he put her down where she was facing him and gave her a mock frown, "Lout? I will have you know Miss Winters I am more of a scamp than a lout!"

"Look at you," her smile was huge. "You look great!" Her eyes took in all five men. "All of you do!"

One of the guys, shorter than Ike, and built like a brick shithouse laughed. "We can always count on you to feed our egos Val."

"I just tell it like it is Max," she told the singer. "Guys, these are our friends Ike, Max, Breck, Joe and Deke. Their band is Chaos Party. And my chaotic little friends, these guys are Jax, Happy, Juice, Kozik, Half Sack, and of course you know Angelo and Sledge."

Ike was grinning as he and his band-mates shook the other mens' hands. "Great to meet you. Any friends of the girls here, and all that good stuff."

Ok, so now Jax was warming up to Ike. The guy was just seriously friendly and upbeat, and he could sort of see why Val had stayed friends with him.

"Max, is Miranda going to be here?" Sam asked.

Max gave another huge smile. "She should probably be getting here in the next half hour. She was super excited about seeing you girls."

"Well, look everyone, it's our favorite two bands who like to play patty cake," the woman's voice was sarcastic, and everyone looked over at her. The brunette was a beautiful woman, but the scowl on her face took away from that.

"Oh look, it's Stacy," Ike said in a monotone voice.

One of the men of Chaos Party, tall and in good shape with long red hair smiled at Ike, then sighed. "What do you need Stacy?"

"Now, Joe, is that any way to talk to friends," the word 'friends' was almost a hiss.

"Well… no," he said bluntly. "But I didn't talk to my friends that way." Breck, Max and Deke snickered.

Stacy caught sight of the Sons, and her entire posture changed. "Well hello there, handsomes. Where did you boys come from?"

"They're taken, Stacy," Kes told the other woman, a warning in her voice.

Stacy moved forward, her hips swaying as she looked at each man. "All of them," she gave Jax a wink.

"Half Sack and Angelo are single, I think," Toni pointed out the two men.

"I really do prefer blondes," the woman gave off a sultry smile.

Val crossed her arms over her chest. "Well, that blonde, is definitely off limits."

Stacy's eyes narrowed. "Why is it you always seem to hook all the men into following you around, Valeria? Guys from different bands, roadies, Ike, Tommy, that Ash fellow you were with last time."

Jax almost frowned, who was Tommy?"

"I make friends with people, Stacy. They don't follow me around."

The woman sniffed. "Whatever. I have to get back to my bus. You kids don't have too much fun. And if you boys get bored, my bus is the sparkly blue one."

Val closed her eyes and tried counting to twenty, hoping that her anger would settle when the other woman was gone. For some reason, since the first day they met, Stacy  
had antagonized her. She TRIED to piss Val off. And Val had no clue why.

The two groups settled down into a big group, the guys from Chaos Party dragging over some chairs from where they were set up right next to DOD. Eventually, Miranda showed up, and after introducing everyone again, they all began different conversations. Bands were playing close by, but they weren't so close as to be too loud.

"Who's Tommy?" Jax asked.

Val had been relaxing, her head leaned back, a small campfire going, making everything cozy. "Tommy sang for Skip's A Hero. An excellent band. We were pretty tight. Me, him and Sam hung out constantly."

"Oh," Jax muttered. He didn't know if he should ask more questions. She hadn't mentioned dating anyone named Tommy. He knew she hadn't dated a lot. There was Ash, and Ike. Had she mentioned anyone else?

"What time do you go on tomorrow?" Kes asked Joe, who happened to be sitting next to her and Kozik.

"We're two bands before y'all," he responded.

"Awesome, which means we can rock out, and then have the next band's time to get ready for ours." Toni was pleased.

"When does Ill Puppets go on," Sam asked. Ill Puppets was Stacy's group.

Max winced. "They go on at noon."

"Well, no fucking wonder she's all super pissed off," Mouse interjected, she was curled up in Juice's lap. "She got shitty parking, she got a shitty show time, and she's starting to get wrinkles and stretch marks."

"Dude, your sister's fucking cool," Breck laughed. "You're a vicious little thing!"

Different people would stop by their fire, saying hi to old friends, or introducing new people to them. It was easy to see that both Texas bands, DOD and Chaos Party were well liked. Jax couldn't figure out where his jealous feelings were coming from. He also felt a bit anxious. When he saw Val start dozing off, he decided the night of mingling was over. Not that they'd really gone anywhere, but she and her sisters had introduced the Sons to a helluva lot of people.

"Babe," he had leaned over, kissing her temple. "Time for bed."

Her eyes blinked open and she smiled at him. "Jax," she murmured. "You're here."

He didn't understand the statement, but figured she must have been dreaming. "Sure am. And it's time for us to get some sleep.

Val let him help her up, and just for a moment, she pretended that all was right in the world, that she and Jax were together, and that nothing could possibly split them up. 


	12. Chapter 12

1) Valeria sounds like Lizzy Hale

2) Samantha sounds like Pink

3) Toni sounds like Hailey Williams

4) Kes sounds like Taylor Momsen.

Disclaimer: I do not own, or make profit from The Son of Anarchy, nor do I own or make profit from any of the music used in the story.

I do not condone the use of alcohol, drugs, and/or violence.

**I will include parenthesis with the initial to show who sings what. ex. (V) (S) (T) (K) (B)-both (A)-all

989899989

When Val woke the next morning, she was wrapped up in Jax's arms in the little cubby, sleep-space that she had snagged for herself when they first got the bus. She was extremely nauseous. Oh God, she thought, please don't let me get sick in front of Jax… or the others. She murmured something about having to pee, which wasn't exactly a lie, and Jax let her go and rolled over to go back to sleep.

She stayed in the bathroom for a while, showering and preparing for the morning, throwing on some cutoffs and a bikini top; standard festival wear for the daytime. By the time she exited the bathroom, a few of the others were up, but Jax was still asleep. Val headed outside. Others, from other tour buses were moving around, and Miranda and Deke made their way over from Chaos Party.

"Where's Max?" Val asked, knowing the singer was probably still out like a light.

Miranda snorted. "He was sawing logs when I left. I could barely sleep. It's amazing how good he sounds singing, because he sounds like a bear sleeping."

The three hung out for a while before Sledge, Toni, Angelo and Half Sack joined them. The group decided to walk around the festival, check out the booths, and maybe grab some breakfast. Val left a note for Jax.

9898989898

Jax woke up to an empty compartment. He frowned at that, but the saw the small piece of paper that Val had left for him. He still kept getting a foreboding sense, and couldn't figure out why he was so paranoid. It was probably because of the 'present' the girls had been sent, or maybe because that fuckhead, Ash, was missing, but he didn't like it.

Jax got ready, and headed out to the chairs. Kes, Kozik, Juice, Michelle, Happy and Sam were out there already. They all wanted to go walking around, so Jax went in to grab his wallet before they headed out. He frowned as he noticed that something was underneath his wallet. There were two photographs.

They were older, maybe a year or a year and a half old. There was a brunette man in both pictures, grinning smugly. In one of the photos he stood behind a topless Val, his hands covering her breasts. The picture almost looked posed. In the second picture the man stood between Val and Sam. Both women had their backs to the camera, looking over their shoulder at the man, and he had a hand on one cheek of both women's' asses. At first Jax thought they weren't wearing underwear, but it was apparently just really tiny G-string panties, both women were topless, or at least looked topless. Again the photo appeared staged, but… what would the purpose be in that? And who was this fucker?

Jax's good mood was gone. Who had left these photos for him? And why would Val be letting this man be that intimate with her? It bothered him that he didn't know who the guy was, and it wasn't like he could, or maybe it was 'would', show the picture to just anybody to find out. If there was another guy she had been with, hell if it were twenty more guys she'd been with, why hadn't she told him? He hadn't kept any secrets from her. In fact, he'd shared more with her than with anyone else he'd ever been with. And if he had aged the photos right, and it was a year to a year and a half ago, wasn't she with Ash at the time these had been taken?

He heard Kozik shout for him, and so he folded the photos and put them in his pocket. As he stepped off the bus, he wondered if the brunette man was this before mentioned 'Tommy'.

98989898989

Val was feeling much better by the time the other members of their groups had joined them. Angelo and Half Sack had watched over her the entire time, almost to the point of annoyance, but she hadn't said a word.

Jax was acting weird, she thought, but then wondered if maybe he just wasn't used to this scene. It could be a lot for someone to take in.

She and her sisters were signing a lot of autographs and taking pictures with people, and occasionally, she'd catch Jax looking at her with a strange look on his face. One she couldn't name. Maybe he just didn't sleep well, she thought with a frown. For a moment, she was scared he'd figured out her secret. She was going to tell him, but she wasn't going to do it this weekend. If he decided to tell her to take a hike, well, she wanted it to be after their performance. She was fairly certain Sam was going to tell Happy the next day.

Val sighed. She wondered if she was paranoid thinking he didn't want to be there right then. The day passed quickly, moving from booth to booth, and Val decided she should probably take a nap before Chaos Party played. With the way Jax was acting, she decided not to invite him to go with her. She just told everyone she was going to go take a nap, and she'd catch up to them later.

The bus was quiet when she did wake up, and it was almost time for the guys to play. She made her way to join the others, and they made their way to listen to their friends. Jax put his arm around her shoulders and that made her feel better.

989899

Jax thought it was odd that Val wanted to go take a nap, but he didn't say anything because she looked like maybe she didn't feel well. She was sort of acting weird, but then he wondered if he just thought she was acting weird. Fuck, it was just getting stupid and complicated.

When she came out from her nap she looked a lot better, and he moved over, throwing his arm over her shoulders. He couldn't stand not touching her. Couldn't stand not being near her when they were both in the same area. Her friend's band was good. He didn't think they were as good as the girls, but they were good.

The guys finished playing and the Sons and the girls walked back to the bus. It was time for the girls to get ready to perform. Jax thought he might have a heart attack when Val stepped off the bus. She was wearing a chainmail bikini top, and chain mail, belted skirt hitting just below her ass, and slit up both sides. It looked like she had on flesh colored underwear underneath. She had war braids on either side of her face. Looking at her in that outfit, he had only one thought, oh fuck no.

The other girls were wearing similar outfits, and it didn't look like any of his brothers were happy with the wardrobe selection. So. Jax got it in his head that now would be the perfect time to question her about the pictures.

"Someone left these for me earlier," he stated bluntly, handing her the two photos, once they were back on the bus so he could talk.

Val looked at the two photos, a wistful smile on her face. "Sure, I remember these. You say someone left them for you? That's weird because there were only few of us that  
had them. I know where mine are, and Sam's are," Val frowned. "Weird."

"Is that Tommy?"

"Yeah, that was him." She smiled again. "You'd have liked Tommy."

"I'm not sure I like pictures of my lady with some guy fondling her breasts."

Val looked at him like he was crazy. "He's not fondling anything, he's covering my nipples."

"Sure, with his palms."

Val could hear the irritation in his voice. "Is this why you've been acting weird all day? Because of these photos?"

He didn't say anything, which only confirmed her suspicions.

"Why didn't you ask me about this hours ago?" she asked, completely confused. "Why did you just sit there thinking about this all day, letting it bug you?"

"Maybe I thought that you should have already told me about your relationship with this guy."

"What are you…" then it clicked in her head. "You think I slept with Tommy, and just didn't share that information with you. And you must be including Sam in the sex situation, considering she's in one of the photos." Now she was getting mad.

"I don't want to think that, but what else am I supposed to think? These were taken when you were with Ash." Jax's face was grim.

Val's lip curled. "You think I fucked Tommy, while dating Ash. After everything I've said about how I feel about cheating… you think I cheated on Ash, and if I did it then, you think it could possibly happen again."

"I don't know what to think." He said stubbornly. She was getting upset, he could see it, and he wasn't feeling like this conversation should be happening. Jax had thought that she might get embarrassed but would have some perfectly logical explanation. He had been feeling petty jealousy, and instead of being calm, he'd just sort of tossed it at her like an accusation. "You've never mentioned this guy until this trip."

Val felt hot all over. He really didn't know her at all. "Well, how about I mention this now. Learn how to fucking Google," she hissed. Then she turned and walked to the door of the bus. She turned and looked back at him. "And you can just piss off."

Then she walked off the bus, and Jax felt like he had really fucked something up.

9898989

On their walk to the stage Sam caught up to Val, while Sledge slowed down to walk with Jax who was at the back of the group.

"What's going on? What's wrong?" Sam asked quietly, and never stopped moving.

"Someone left him copies of those photos we did with Tommy," Val snapped out softly. "He thinks I fucked Tommy. He thinks I fucked Tommy while dating Ash."

Sam blinked. Then said the only thing she could think of, "Dumbshit."

Sledge put his hand out and slowed Jax down. "What the fuck is up man? You're back here, and Val is on the warpath up there."

Jax handed Sledge the photos.

Sledge smiled, "Hey, Tommy. I remember this… wait… you didn't… oh fuck, Jax, you looked at these and saw red."

Jax shrugged.

"What'd she say?' Sledge rubbed his forehead. One of the biggest flaws with almost every one of the Sons was jealousy, and possessiveness. He remembered wanting to stomp Breck.

"To learn how to Google, and to piss off."

Ok, the Google thing almost made Sledge chuckle. Or the dumbass could've just asked him. "Tommy was the singer for a band called Skip's A Hero. These photos were  
mockups for the cover of their album. The girls helped out because they adored Tommy, and they liked the other two guys and one girl in the band, too. Toni or Kes might've done the mockups but they used Sam and Val because they're about the same height. Dude, none of the girls slept with Tommy… he was a homosexual. He loved them, and they loved him. They helped him plan his proposal to his boyfriend, Adam. And they stayed by his side when he was diagnosed with cancer, and died six months later. If you had asked me, I would have told you all of that."

Jax felt incredibly stupid. And scared. "She told me to piss off."

Sledge sighed. "I would suggest large amounts of 'I'm sorry, I'm an ass', and a lot of sucking up. Maybe a present, but not flowers."

"I don't even know why I freaked."

"Dude, things got serious with you two fast… which isn't bad… it sort of happens that way with these girls. I knew I was going to be with Toni forever during our first date. And this whole festival thing, it's a lot to get used to. Everyone wanting a piece of your girl, when all you want is to cuddle up. Then there are all the men around, that you don't know, that flirt and touch your girl. That's why you freaked. Fairly certain that Kozik and Happy are freaking. They're just lucky that Happy barely fucking talks, and Kozik looks at everything for a fucking year before talking."

Val could see Sledge talking to Jax, and Jax looked really upset. She knew she wasn't going to hold this against him. It just hurt. Did he really think so little of her?

But then it was time to go on. It was just getting dark. They took the stage and their fans went wild.

(A) Na-na-na-na-na  
Na-na-na-na-na

(V) We came to battle baby  
We came to win the war  
We won't surrender  
Till we get what we're lookin' for  
We're blowing out our speakers  
There goes the neighborhood  
A little scissor happy  
Little misunderstood

(S) We can turn you on  
Or we will turn on you

(A)Daughters of darkness  
Sisters insane  
A little evil  
Goes a long, long way  
We stand together  
No we're not afraid  
We'll live forever  
Daughters of darkness  
Daughters of darkness

Na-na-na-na-na  
Na-na-na-na-na  
Daughters of darkness  
Na-na-na-na-na  
Na-na-na-na-na

(V)We're all survivors somehow  
We just broke out the pack  
And I don't need no dog tag  
My name is on my back

(S)We can turn you on  
Or we can turn on you

(A)Daughters of darkness  
Sisters insane  
A little evil  
Goes a long, long way  
We stand together  
No we're not afraid  
We'll live forever  
Daughters of darkness  
Daughters of darkness

Na-na-na-na-na  
Na-na-na-na-na  
Daughters of darkness  
Na-na-na-na-na  
Na-na-na-na-na

(V)Never down  
Never out  
Playing hard  
Living loud  
Keeping up  
With the boys  
Making out  
Making noise

(S)And you better get me home  
Before the sun comes up, up, up

(A)Daughters of darkness  
Sisters insane  
A little evil goes a long, long way  
We stand together  
No we're not afraid  
We'll live forever  
Daughters of darkness  
Daughters of darkness  
Na-na-na-na-na  
Na-na-na-na-na  
Daughters of darkness  
Na-na-na-na-na  
Na-na-na-na-na  
We're the daughters of darkness  
Na-na-na-na-na  
Na-na-na-na-na  
Daughters of Darkness

The fans cheering went wild as soon as the song ended, and it brought a rush to all four women.

"Fuck yeah!" Val called out to the fans. "We have missed you guys so much! We ARE the Daughters of Darkness, and we want you to crawl into our world for a little while. And I don't know about you all, but, when it comes to music, we like it loud… and we Like it…" Val held the mike out towards the fans who shouted, "HEAVY!"

(V)Some like beautiful, perfect and pretty  
I see the good in the bad and the ugly  
I need the volume one louder than ten  
I put the pedal to the metal, needle into the red  
If the windows ain't shaking  
Making my heart race  
If I can't feel it in my chest  
I'm in the wrong damn place!

I got a demon in my soul and a voice in my head  
It's saying go, go, go! I can sleep when I'm dead  
There's a sonic revelation bringing me to my knees  
And there's a man down below who needs my sympathy  
I got a ringing in my ears getting ready to burst  
Screaming "hallelujah, hallelujah take me to church"

(V)I like it louder than the boom  
Of a big bass drum  
I need it harder than the sound  
Of a guitar grunge  
I love to crank it up  
Make it thump  
And evil to the core  
Headbanging in the pit  
And throwing my horns  
And just like old school  
Sabbath, Zeppelin and Lemmy  
I need to drop it down low

(A)And make it heavy  
I like it heavy, oh ohh  
I like it heavy, oh ohh

(V)I ride the lightning, roll with the thunder  
I'm going down down down with my sisters and brothers  
I fell in love with their darkest parts  
Stand on the side of the wild at heart

As she sang the next line she pointed out at Jax.

(V)I plucked the feather off a crow so I could fly  
Since I was thirteen years old I've had my fist to the sky

I like it louder than the boom  
Of a big bass drum  
I need it harder than the sound  
Of a guitar grunge  
I love to crank it up  
Make it thump  
And evil to the core  
Headbanging in the pit  
And throwing my horns  
And just like old school  
Sabbath, Zeppelin and Lemmy  
I need to drop it down low

(A)And make it heavy  
I like it heavy, oh ohh  
I like it heavy, oh ohh

I like it, I like it, I like it heavy  
I like it, I like it, I like it heavy  
I like it, I like it, I like it heavy  
I like it, I like it, I like it heavy

(V)Some like beautiful, perfect and pretty  
I see the good in the bad and the ugly

(A)I like it heavy, oh ohh  
I like it heavy, oh ohh

I like it, I like it, I like it heavy  
I like it, I like it, I like it heavy  
I like it, I like it, I like it heavy  
I like it, I like it, I like it heavy

The music stopped, but Val wasn't done, and their fans knew it.

Val started singing, no instrumental back up.

(V)Take me home tonight I, do anything with you  
Buy a bottle of whiskey, we'll get matching tattoos  
Tell me that you love me, oh let me drive your car  
We can sit to morning light, just countin' every stars  
'Cause if there's a Hell, I'll meet you there  
And if there's a Heaven, they're serving beer  
And if you're an angel then, I must be high  
Oh if there's a church, it's rock 'n roll  
If there's a devil, I sold my soul  
And it's alright whatever we do tonight  
'Cause if there's a God dammit she won't mind  
If there's a God, baby she won't mind

They kept performing, stopping occasionally to talk to their fans, making them scream and chant. Sam sang a song called Walk of Shame, and Toni sang We Are Broken, which Jax had heard sung before. Kes sung two songs, one called Absolution, and then another called Why'd You Bring a Shotgun. Then it was back to Val.

Jax got scared when a man tried to climb onto stage, but security got him down quickly. Val found his eyes, giving him a half smile, and that made him feel a little better. She'd known he'd worry. She'd known, and even mad at him she'd made sure he was okay.

They exited the stage, two leaving right, and the other two left. Stopping behind the set up to talk to other bands and other friends.

Val was just turning around to go find her sisters when some man rushed past, knocking her down.

Luckily, Angelo was there, and helped her up. "What a dick," he scowled after the man rushing away. "You okay?"

"I'm good, thanks Angelo. Where is everyone?"

"The others are around here, I think maybe just over on that side of the stage," he told her pointing and Val did see Happy's bald, tattooed head. "But, I was actually coming to get you." He leaned in close. "Sam asked me to come get you. She said she wasn't feeling well. I told her I'd get Happy, but she said, no, she wanted you. She said you'd know what it was about," Angelo looked confused, and sort of scared. "I… I admit, I'm sort of nervous. What if the Sons find out I didn't get Happy and his girl is sick?"

The two had started walking. "Oh, don't worry about that. We'd never let anything happen to you because of us. You will be a Son one day soon, Angelo. I have faith. You've always done whatever Bruno has asked of you." Now Val was worried. The only possible reason Sam could only want Val and no one else if it was because of the pregnancy.

He shrugged, blushing a little.

They had walked a little ways away, and it was much quieter.

"Where did you say Sam was?" she asked as they entered a building.

"You really don't remember, do you?"

Val turned to see Angelo standing inside, his back to the door, a small smile on his face. "Remember what?"

"Remember me… remember my name."

"What? Isn't your name Angelo?" what the hell was he talking about, she thought.

"Not Angelo… I always thought your knew, you just didn't want to say it. Because of what Daddy Daniel did… but no, you really don't remember."

Val's heart was thumping in her chest, and it almost hurt. How did he know Daddy Daniel?

"There was Sammy Smiles, Val Wins, and Andrew's…"

As soon as she heard Sammy Smiles, Val Wins, "Andrew's Here," she spoke the last two words with him. "You're Andrew Herring."

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(Songs: Daughters of Darkness—Halestorm; I Like It Heavy—Halestorm; mentioned.. Walk of Shame— Pink; Absolution—The Pretty Reckless; Why'd You Bring A Shotgun—The Pretty Reckless; We Are Broken—Paramore.)


	13. Chapter 13

disclaimer: i own nothing, and make no money from this piece of fiction.

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"Where's Val," Toni asked as she joined everyone in the seating area they'd set up around the tour buses. People were just hanging out and partying after the concert, but her blonde sister was nowhere to be seen.

"I saw her walking with that Angelo guy," Ike told them. Then he noticed how Val's family and new friends seemed a little… tense.

"Okay, so we definitely know she's with one of us?" Kes asked.

Ike frowned, "Yeah. I saw some big dude knock her on her ass as she was exiting the stage, and I was going to go help her up, but Angelo got there first, and helped her up."

Sam had just joined them, and looked anxious. "She fell? She seemed okay though, right?"

"Yeah." Ike's frown deepened.

Sam stalked up to Jax, slammed a CD into Jax's stomach, looked him in the eye and said, "Dipshit."

Jax sighed, well obviously Sam knew he and Val had fought. He looked down and saw the CD was a Skip's A Hero CD, and on the front cover was the same brunette man from the photos that had been left for him. A man stood to the brunette's right, and a woman to his left. He had his hands on a butt cheek of each person. It was just like the photo with Tommy, Sam and Val. Jax looked up and met her eyes. "I knew I was a dipshit before you showed this to me. I didn't need this."

She glowered at him.

"JAX!" Mouse came running up to the group, Juice close behind. "I think Val's in trouble."

"Why?" Jax asked, immediately coming to attention. "Ike said she was with Angelo."

"She is, dude," Juice told his friend. "But he lied to her to get her to go with him."

"Explain," Happy snapped, seeing Jax pale.

Everyone crowded around, including their friends who had no idea about the stalking. Mouse began talking. "Val still had a live recorder on her. We were videotaping and recording the fans during the show. The only thing I can guess is that when she fell it cut out the video feed. So I checked the mike, and could hear her and Angelo talking. He told her Sam wanted him to bring her to see Sam. That Sam wasn't feeling well, but didn't want anyone else but Val to know," Mouse gave Sam a suspicious look. "Val believed him."

"Turn on the mike, Mouse," Jax ordered.

She turned it on, and handed out the ear pieces. They heard Val and Angelo talking.

"Where did you say Sam was?" Val asked and they heard a door to a building open and shut.

"You really don't remember, do you?" Angelo's voice came a little quieter.

"Remember what?"

"Remember me… remember my name."

"What? Isn't your name Angelo?" Val sounded confused.

"Not Angelo… I always thought your knew, you just didn't want to say it. Because of what Daddy Daniel did… but no, you really don't remember."

Sam's breath caught in her throat, "Daddy Daniel?" she whimpered. "How could he know?"

"There was Sammy Smiles, Val Wins, and Andrew's…"

As soon as she heard Sammy Smiles, Val Wins, "Andrew's Here," Sam's voice matched up with Val's.

Just a moment before Val confirmed it, Sam said, "His name is Andrew Herring."

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"Bingo," Angelo, no, Andrew, laughed.

"Wow," Val was almost speechless. "Why didn't you say anything? Before now I mean?" Val was getting a sick feeling in her stomach.

"Well, at first I thought maybe you just didn't recognize me."

"You don't look anything like you did," she admitted.

"Yeah, the scars," his voice was angry.

"Not that, I barely notice that. You're so tall, and your hair is so dark compared to what it was."

"Yeah, I guess I do look different now."

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"We need to find them. We need to find them now." Jax was terrified. There was something off in the guy's voice, and there had been no reason for him to lie about who he was for years…

Juice had been explaining what was happening with the girls and the stalker situation.

"He used me," Sam whispered. "He used me to get to her." Oh my god, she thought, he knows I'm pregnant. He told her I was sick and only wanted her, no one else.  
"Happy," she wheezed. He couldn't find out from that man. Oh my god, what if Andrew knew about Val too? "Happy," her voice rose in anxiety.

"Sam?" he was right there.

"I'm sorry," she told him, her eyes wide. "I was going to tell you tomorrow, but I can't let him do that. I'm pregnant."

Happy's entire body stilled.

"I found out a few days ago. Val's the only one who knows. He used me to get her. He knows about me." She kept babbling.

Kes had moved over, "It's okay Sammy," she tried to soothe.

Sam was shaking her head, "No, no it's not okay. It's so far from okay." Sam moved over and grabbed Jax's hand. "Yesterday we found out Val is pregnant," she admitted.

Jax looked like he was going to pass out. Then his face turned blank.

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"I just wish you'd told us. Our entire relationship would be different than you just being a Prospect." Keep calm, Valeria, she told herself. "So, where's Sam?"

"Okay, I admit it, I lied. Sam isn't here. I had to tell you. Especially now."

"What do you mean?" she asked keeping her voice light.

"Val…" he sighed. "I know, okay. I KNOW. At the Clubhouse my room shares a vent with Sam's room. Not that she's been in there MUCH," he chuckled. "I heard you say you  
thought you might be, and then I heard her say she was. At first it made me angry. You girls are good at making me angry. But then I realized, Happy is a good choice for Sam. He'll keep her out of trouble, and he won't just leave his kid. But you Val, you have HORRIBLE taste in men!"

Val swallowed, and her breathing sped up.

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They could hear her faster breathing on their end. Mouse and Juice were trying to figure out a way to turn the little recorder into a GPS unit.

Jax's hands were clenched into fists. There were so many thoughts going through his head. Why hadn't she told him yesterday? Why had he fought with her? Why hadn't they looked into the Prospect? What is this guy going to do to Val? Where is she?

"What's got everyone so excited over here?" Stacy asked, posing with her hand on her hip.

"Not now, Stacy," Ike snapped, and turned back to the Sons, "I thought I saw her going the opposite direction of our little camp here."

"I know there are a bunch of buildings over there." Miranda added.

"Who are you looking for?" Stacy asked frowning. Normally she would snap right back at Ike, but it looked like everyone was freaking out.

"Someone took, Val," Sam's voice sounded broken.

Stacy almost made a snide comment, but…. Shit, these guys looked fucking serious. "I saw her and that scarred up dude heading to that big storage warehouse on Elm and  
15th."

Everyone's head swung around to look at her. And then they started yelling their thanks and running. They could still hear everything happening through the earpieces Mouse had provided. Stacy shrugged, grabbed one of the last few earpieces, and decided to follow.

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"I mean, don't get me wrong," Andrew said, still leaning on the door. "I liked Ike well enough. But ASH? And now Jackson Teller?" he sneered. "Not only that but you let that guy get you pregnant!"

The tone of voice brought so many feelings out in Val. It was so condescending, so patronizing. Like when Daddy Daniel used to scold them. It brought out every insecurity she had dealing with Jax. "I did't mean to," she whispered.

"I know," he sighed. "I heard you talking to Sam, telling her how you didn't think Jax would want a baby if there was one. I mean, he does have one kid in the hospital already. It's just so frustrating. Because you're smarter than this. He's a Son of Anarchy, Val… it is impossible for those guys to stay faithful! Impossible. Do you honestly think that he didn't hook up when he went on his run?"

"I guess I didn't think about it," she mumbled.

"Now, I know I haven't always been the nicest. I did send those horrible letters and photos, but that was only because I was angry. I think we can work on getting past this."

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"You KNOW if you tell Jax you're pregnant he's going to make you get an abortion. You know I'm right. So, we're going to leave tonight, and we'll tell everyone it's MY baby."

"No, Andrew, I can't do that." Val told him shaking her head. "If Jax were to tell me to get an abortion, I would just tell him no, and I would go back to Houston. I don't need a man to help me raise my baby," she said decisively.

Andrew started rubbing his eyes. "Val, it's when you say stupid shit like that, well, that's when I get super pissed off. That's how you and Sam made me kill Darkness, my cat. All because you two decided you were going to be with Sons. Or when you let Jax Teller HUG you, when you barely knew him. You LET HIM TOUCH YOU!" he screamed.

Val jerked back away from him. Andrew stalked up to her. "Please don't hurt me," she almost sobbed.

"DON'T MAKE ME!" he was still screaming. "YOU WERE BOTH SUPPOSED TO LOVE ME! NO ONE ELSE. BUT YOU LEFT ME THERE WITH DADDY DANIEL. AND THEN YOU ACTED LIKE YOU DIDN'T RECOGNIZE ME! I'M TRYING TO MOVE PAST THIS, BUT YOU'RE MAKING IT SO FUCKING HARD!" and then he struck out, slapping her across the face.

Val cried out and fell to the ground.

"We're going to do this MY way, Valeria. You will not question me. And I'm going to prove my love to you. And you will grow to love me."

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Jax felt such a rage. The things this fucker was telling Val, talking about HIM. The fear in her voice. She sounded so young, confused, and frightened. When he heard the  
sound of flesh hitting flesh, and she cried out, he put on a burst of speed.

The girls were crying, the men were determined. And everyone there had the same thought in their head. This fucker wasn't getting out of that warehouse alive.

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Andrew grabbed Val by her hair, and started dragging her over the smooth concrete floor. She shrieked in pain, as he jerked her into a wooden crate, not even watching where he was dragging her. It sliced her leg, and the chain mail of her outfit she was still wearing scraped along the floor. "Don't dawdle," he snapped. "Or you won't get your present, and trust me, you WANT your present."

"Please, you're hurting me," she cried, but even as she cried she looked for anything she could use against him. Val knew she was on her own. No one knew where she was, or who she was with. Dear God, she and her baby could die here, and she wouldn't have made up with Jax. He would still think she was angry with him. She didn't get to tell him about the baby. Maybe he would have reacted badly, but maybe not.

Andrew had stopped dragging her, and let go, moving to get something. That's when she saw the piece of rebar lying under one of those moving trolleys. She scooted over to it, and picked herself up off the ground, trying to be as silent as possible as she brought the rebar with her. There was a door behind Andrew, and she could only hope it led outside. Or that there was a phone inside and the door had a lock.

"You are going to love this present I got for you. Better than anyone could ever do. It's going to prove my love to you." He told her, striding towards her smugly.

As soon as he was within range, she swung the bar with all her might, screaming out a war cry as she swung, and it slammed into his shoulder. He screeched out in pain, and she swung again, this time aiming for his knees.

Val didn't drop the bar, but as soon as he was on the ground she ran, straight for the door. She opened the door and began screaming as the dead body of Ash Varner swung in front of her.

Val couldn't hear anything else, and she couldn't look away from the bloated body. His throat had been slit, his eyes bulged, and his tongue was swollen and protruding from his mouth.

Andrew was still moaning on the ground.

Val managed to scurry to a corner of what turned out to be an office, and vomited.

"You bitch," Andrew shrieked. "I think you broke my fucking knee!" she could hear him pulling himself towards her.

There was a crashing sound, and she heard people start screaming her name. she slid down the wall, holding the bar in front of her, once again her eyes caught on Ash's body. Then her sisters were in front of her, and then holding her.

"Oh baby," Toni wept, clutching Val to her. Kes buried her face in Val's shoulder, and Sam buried hers in Val's hair. Mouse was gently taking the rebar away.

Jax wanted to go to her, but he couldn't take his eyes off of Andrew. Kozik grabbed his arm. "Jax. You go help Valeria now. We got this. But SHE is more important."

Jax nodded. He looked at her, and could see where the other man had hit her. And her leg was bleeding. Jax moved over, the girls making room for him. She was still sobbing, and he picked her up and carried her out of the warehouse. He knew his brothers had his back on this one. 


	14. Chapter 14

disclaimer: I don't own or make money from any of this. I just enjoy playing in their world.

Question: I could end this very soon, or do people want more? I could do more Charming, and more festivals. Let me know. Also, I'm going to start posting a weird SOA crossover... hope yall give it a shot.

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Jax rushed Val from the building and realized that Miranda was keeping up with him.

"Come on, my car is actually right around this corner," she urged him. "I used to live here before I moved to Dallas. We'll take her to the ER so they can look her over."

Jax just nodded and followed her. Val was still sobbing in his arms. She was alive. Alive and relatively unharmed, physically. His grip tightened on her slightly but she didn't complain, just curled into him even closer. Jax dropped a kiss on her head.

They got to Miranda's Sentra, and Miranda unlocked the doors. "I'm getting in the back with her," he told her.

She nodded, "I figured."

"What do we tell them," Val asked in a tiny voice.

Jax's brain went blank, but Miranda's didn't. "You got done performing, and had to pee. When you came out of the restroom, some festival attendee clocked you in the face, grabbed you by the hair and began dragging you off into the dark away from people. Jax saw, and came running, causing the other man to run away."

Jax nodded. It was half truth, half lie. Easily believable.

The drive to the hospital didn't take long. Apparently, Miranda had been a racecar driver in a previous life, and had kept some of those skills. She drove up to the entrance of the ER, and he carefully got out, picking up Val as he went, and carried her inside.

Two nurses came running immediately. "What happened," one questioned.

"Do you need a wheelchair?" the other asked.

Jax told them, "No wheelchair. Her band had just performed, and I lost sight of her."

"I had to go to the bathroom," Val said, her voice still very small. "When I came out, this man hit me in the face. I couldn't believe nobody saw anything. Then he grabbed me by the hair and began to drag me into the dark. I don't know there were some buildings, maybe he was going to take me in one, but Jax…"

"I saw him dragging her, and I'll admit, I saw red, so it's probably better for him that he got away. But I chased after them and he ran. Some of our other friends were there,  
so while they reported it to the festival authorities, our friend Miranda brought us here."

"I'm pregnant," Val said softly. "Please tell me my baby is okay."

While they spoke the two nurses worked together to get Val's temperature, blood pressure and pulse, and they also got her right in to a room.

One of the nurse's, a short Asian woman, gave Val a soothing smile. "Everything going to be fine. I know you had a horrible scare tonight, and there are some wounds we need to get cleaned up, but everything will be okay. Do you need anything from me? The doctor will be in shortly, but I could get you a drink while you wait."

"Could you get us some water please," Jax asked.

She left the room, was back with their water, and had left again within five minutes. Val lay down on the hospital bed, and moved onto her side, curling up in the fetal position. Jax kept running his hand down her hair, and she did find it comforting. Her mind was moving at a thousand miles per hour, but at the same time, it wasn't moving at all.

Everyone knew she was pregnant. She had wanted to tell Jax first, and hadn't had a chance. Val didn't know if she should feel bad about that. She did just find out the day before. That wasn't a lot of time that passed. And yes, he'd said he wanted her to be his Old Lady, but really they hadn't planned a future together, just those words. She did know those words were important. She also knew that those words probably wouldn't be said again. It was just like her to fuck everything up.

She had fucked up a future with Jax by getting pregnant. There were so many ways she had fucked up with Andrew. Val also knew her actions had possibly fucked things up for Sam. She just had to pray she hadn't screwed up her sister's life like that. Maybe it was time for them all to take a break. Of course they would finish the summer concerts, but maybe her sisters would be better off with her in Houston, while they stayed in Charming. Val hated that thought. When Aunt Viv had found them at the County Home, they had been together off and on since they were four. Each experiencing their own nightmares in the Foster system. When she found them, and took them all home they hadn't been apart since. Not even when Mouse went to college. Five points to a star, Viv had said. They were five points that made up her shining star that she had to have. Viv had given them everything she could. Music lessons, any instrument they wanted to learn how to play. The best computers for Mouse.

Val didn't feel bright and shining currently. She wondered if Gemma would still like her when the older woman found out she was pregnant. Well, it was her baby, so Jax and Gemma, they didn't have to like her. She wouldn't stay. Maybe she'd settle in another little town near Charming. That way she could see her sisters, but she wouldn't be in the way. She wouldn't be in people's faces. She was starting to wish he wouldn't run his hand along her hair. It made it seem like he cared, and it hurt. Tears started leaking from her eyes again.

"Val," Jax asked gently. "Is something hurting right now?"

She shrugged. "My head… my face doesn't hurt so much anymore. My leg hurts. My right side of my back hurts."

"Okay, well, we'll the doctor that when he or she comes…" He'd almost finished the sentence when the door opened and a middle-aged woman came into the room.

"Hi, you must be Val, I'm Dr Kesson." The woman kept a gentle tone, and pulled up the round, wheeled chair, taking a seat next to the bed. "Can you tell me what hurts?"

So, Val again listed her pains, and the doctor began looking her over. Dr. Kesson had a nurse come in and draw some blood, and she herself did some poking and prodding.

"Well, your poor face is a bit red and bruised, but I think that'll heal up in a day or two. Same with the hair. He managed to take a chunk out, but it's underneath the rest, so you can't even see it. I think that you maybe pulled a muscle in your back. We can't give you drugs for that since you're pregnant. One Tylenol every four to six hours is your pain meds limit."

"I don't take a lot of medication," she told the doctor.

"We are definitely going to need to stitch up your leg. So we'll do a local anesthetic on that, numb it up, and get it sewn up." As Dr. Kesson explained everything, the Asian nurse came back in and had a few small vials in her hand. She gave Val a reassuring smile. "You scared of needles, Val?"

Val was watching the doctor as she prepared to give her the shots to numb the area. "No, Ma'am. I like to watch it when my tattoo girl, Erin is working."

"I do like your musical notes," the doctor smiled brightly. "And I love this chain mail ensemble. I wish I could pull it off like you do."

"Thank you," Val said.

It didn't take long for her to put the ten stitches in Val's outer knee area.

"What about my baby?" she asked. Val thought she'd been very patient.

Jax wondered if she realized she kept saying MY baby, not OUR baby. Did she believe what that Andrew had said to her? Did she think he would be upset? He just wanted to know what was going through her head, but with everything that had happened, he didn't want to pressure her. Maybe if he did little things to show her. Jax reminded himself- patient, repeat, and show her how you feel. Jax reached out and took Val's hand in his own. He could feel her tension. "Is our baby okay?" he added.

Dr. Kesson smiled. "Everything came back looking wonderful. Your hormone levels are fantastic. You just take it easy on your back for a few days, and you'll be right back to perfect."

"Thank you," Val whispered.

"Now, Ann is going to wheel you out. Hospital policy. Take care of yourself and if you have any problems while you're in town, give me a call."

Once Miranda was driving back to the festival grounds, with Jax and Val in the backseat, they all let out a breath. Val still didn't feel like talking, so she leaned her head back, and closed her eyes. Jax tugged her until she was leaning against him. Val was very confused, but she wanted to be close to him, so she cuddled in as close as she could without it hurting. That seemed to please him, and he wrapped his arms around her.

Miranda ignored all the parking signs and pulled up right next to the Chaos Party tour bus. "We're here," she chirped.

It made Jax smile. Val had been right, he did like her Chaos Party friends. He had talked to Juice briefly and said that the guys didn't even question how they were going to  
deal with Andrew. They had just helped. They had also helped in putting Ash somewhere where he would be found. Dude was an asshole, but he was also a Son.

"Babe," Max had stood up from where they were all sitting between the guys' bus, and DOD's bus. "I'm not sure…"

"It's fine," she told him. "Can't expect Val to walk over here, can they?"

Joe and Deke were snickering, Breck was rolling his eyes, and Ike was grinning. "Babe, please, you're just pissed that they wouldn't let you park here yesterday."

"Well, they're stupid," she said logically. Val's sisters were coming over and high fiving her. Then they were moving to Val, and hugging her.

"Let's go sit down, and then you can talk all you guys want, okay?" Jax suggested, and then swept Val up into his arms again, moving to a wide chair, and pulling her onto his lap in as comfortable as a position as she could get.

Maybe, she thought as she leaned into him, maybe he isn't as mad as I thought he'd be. Maybe I didn't fuck up as bad as I thought I did. She looked over to see Sam and  
Happy sitting right up against each other. There didn't seem to be tension there either. She would just keep praying.

Jax noticed her eyes getting heavy, "You getting tired? Want to lay down?"

She nodded.

Jax informed everyone and they all made the rounds to hug or kiss her. When Ike got to her he leaned in and kissed her forehead. "Hey, tomorrow Stacy wanted to talk to you for a minute."

"What did I do wrong now?" she sighed.

"Nothing. Um, Stacy helped us find you tonight," Jax told her, and saw the shock reflected on her face.

Ike nodded. "I think she just wants to make sure you're okay, but she couldn't say it, ya know? Get some good rest, Val."

They were the only people on the bus, and Jax helped her change into her pajamas. "I'm sorry," he told her softly.

"Why are you sorry?" Val got a little scared.

"Because I saw those pictures and I got jealous. I know you wouldn't do anything, Valeria. I know you. I'm just a jealous, possessive fool. So I'm going to tell you I'm sorry every day until you know I mean it."

"You don't have to," she was shaking her head.

He ran his fingertips down her cheeks, over her velvety soft skin. "Don't you know what you mean to me, Valeria Winters. I didn't ask you to be my Old Lady on a whim. I  
love you," he said kissing her cheeks.

Val burst into tears. "I didn't think you'd want me anymore."

"Why wouldn't I want you anymore?" he asked her baffled.

"Because I got pregnant," she sobbed.

"Well, sure we didn't plan on a baby, but God, Val, I love you. How could I not love our baby?" he asked, and just kept gently skimming her skin with his fingers. Then he laid  
a hand on her lower belly. "This is both of us. Why wouldn't I want him or her?"

"Because Abel is still so little, and still in the hospital, and this just puts another baby on you." She tried to explain.

"Aren't you going to be there with me,' he asked.

She nodded.

"And don't you love Abel?"

Again she nodded.

"So aren't you going to be his mama?"

"You want me to be his mama?" she asked, tears still rolling down her cheeks.

"I hope you will be," Jax told her. "Then he'd have the best."

She gave a laugh through her tears. "I'm sorry."

"I don't want you to be sorry. I think I understand now why you didn't tell me yesterday, or today."

"I was going to tell you tomorrow. Sam and I talked about it. If it went bad, we didn't want that before our concert."

"Makes sense, and it isn't like it was weeks or months. I don't want you to ever worry again about me not wanting this baby. I want you, I want OUR baby, I want your sisters in our world, Sledge too. I love your band friends." Jax smiled at her, and was rewarded with a beautiful smile in return. "We will need to talk about some do's and don't's during the pregnancy, but that's just because you do crazy things." He said in a teasing manner.

Val laughed. "I know, I know, no twirling down ropes." Then she got serious. "For real though I'm not going to do anything that could hurt us. No firebreath, no rappelling, no new tricks."

Jax helped her slide into their little sleep cubby, and then took off everything but his boxers. He couldn't go commando with all the others in the bus too. He might love the other girls, but he didn't want to give them a show.

They were lying quietly for a few minutes when Val spoke again. "Jax?"

"Hmm?"

"I love you too."

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Happy and Sam had gone for a walk. She had changed out of her chain outfit, and then as they walked, he wrapped his arm around her waist, and curved his palm over her abdomen. "Sam?"

Happy was a man of few words, and Sam had learned his language. He wanted to know why she hadn't told him. "I've known for a week." She began. "I felt so stupid. I mean, we used protection, but I go and get knocked up anyway. We've been seeing each other a few weeks, and I kept thinking, I'm going back to Houston at the end of the summer," Happy's hand tightened a tiny bit. "We really haven't talked about what we're even doing…"

Happy stopped walking and pulled her to face him. "Didn't I tell you that you were mine?"

She nodded.

"Did you decide whether or not I'm yours?"

Her eyes widened. Sam remembered the conversation. "Yes. You are."

"Well, if you're mind, and I'm yours, why the hell are you talking about going back to Houston," he snapped.

"I…" but she didn't have words.

"You women are so damned used to not being wanted, that when it's staring you in the face you don't even recognize it." He pulled her closer, where their faces were only an  
inch apart. "You ain't going anywhere Samantha. You, me, our baby, we're gonna be here, together."

"We are," she whispered, hope in her eyes.

"Never thought I'd have kids," he smiled. "You were a shock to my system from the minute you stepped off that bus. Beautiful, smart, and pure trouble. You were mine that  
day. You just didn't know it yet."

Sam didn't wait to see if he said anything else. Instead she threw her arms around his neck and moved in for a steamy kiss.


	15. Chapter 15

Disclaimer: I do not own Sons of Anarchy, nor do i make money from anything that i write.

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When Val woke up the next morning, her body ached something fierce. Jax was still asleep, so she slowly, and quietly slipped from his arms and got out of the cubby. While she liked being in a closed, intimate space with Jax, she couldn't wait to get home to their bed. That caused her to pause for a moment. Their bed. Home. She hadn't been in Charming long, nor had she been in Jax's bed for long, but it felt right, and it felt like home. She missed his hands on her too.

Val changed clothes and headed out to the sitting area outside to have some juice, and just enjoy the quiet. She really wanted coffee and a smoke, but she couldn't have those now. She'd only been sitting out there for a few minutes when Stacy showed up. Val looked up at the older woman for a moment.

Stacy wasn't that much older than the girls, five, maybe seven years, but she'd been performing longer, and harder. The girls had grown up listening to the Ill Puppets. "Good morning, Stacy." She decided to go with polite and see how that worked. "Take a seat? Do you want something to drink?"

Stacy came closer, studying the blonde, and sat down. "No thanks. I'm glad to see you're alright. You had everyone pretty worried."

"It was terrifying, but I understand I have you to thank for helping them find me?"

Stacy waved that off. "It wasn't that much help, I just gave them a direction."

"It was a huge help," Val told her softly. "You saved me, Stacy. From being raped, severely beaten… even killed. And you saved my baby." Her hand went to her belly.

"Congratulations," Stacy told her. "Looks like you got a keeper this time."

Val smiled, "Yeah. Jax is the best." She cleared her throat. "Stacy, since we're being so civil… I want to know why you hate me?"

Stacy looked surprised. "I don't hate you."

They were both slightly surprised when the bus door opened and Sam joined them. Val looked back to the older woman. "Ever since the first time we met. You always seem to be on the attack with me, and the other girls too."

Stacy thought about it. "I don't hate any of you," she said softly. "When I first started out in this business, women weren't really taken all that seriously, ya know? Someone always thought that one of the guys in Puppets was in charge. But I created them, I built them, hell, I'm the only original member… I had to fight my way up. When you guys came out it seemed like everything was so damned easy for you. You were pure talent, and beauty, and with all of that you didn't seem to take it seriously. Didn't want to take your band all the way. I think that I thought you all were taking all of it, including your success as a joke."

"Stacy," Val interrupted the other woman. "We've never taken this as a joke. We're very dedicated, we just don't want to lose ourselves, or our music. We don't want everything that comes with pure fame. But geez, you and Ill Puppets helped make us."

Sam was smiling, "Yeah, I remember, we'd been playing around with music, would play for friend's parties, but we didn't even have a name yet. We went to your concert, and we heard you sing 'Hell to Pay'. Your concert was all we could talk about for days."

"It made us sit down and come up with a name. Made us talk to Viv about performing more seriously. You were our inspiration."

Stacy just looked at them, "And then you meet me and I'm a huge bitch… and then during my breakup with Finn, I got drunk and tried to sleep with that guy you were seeing."

"All in the past," Val waved it all away. "I vote we start over."

"I'd like that I think," Stacy smiled. Then she stood. "I'd better get back to my bus." She turned as she walked away, "I have to wake Kip up and send him back your way." She gave them a saucy smile.

Sam and Val's mouths dropped open.

Stacy laughed at them, "Hey you said he was available if he wanted to be… turns out he DEFINITELY wanted to be."

The two girls started laughing, just watching the other woman head to her bus.

980890809989

It wasn't long before Toni, Kes and Mouse joined them.

Val cleared her throat. "I need to say I'm sorry." The others let her speak. "I feel that if I had done things differently, it never would have gotten to where it did with Andrew."

"What is it that you think you could have done differently?" Toni asked her sister.

"If I had recognized him when he first showed up, or if I had befriended him when he first joined…"

"I didn't recognize him either, Val," Sam said softly. "And I think that we're always good at befriending the Prospects. He still didn't tell us his real name."

"The last time you'd seen him was almost twenty years ago, Valeria," Mouse added. "I think it would be pretty difficult to recognize someone after that long, especially going from a child to an adult."

Val's lips were trembling. "Maybe if I'd made sure he was taken away from Daddy Daniel when we were. But he was just left there."

"Val, you and Sam were six years old. You were scared, confused and way too young to have any power or control over what happened when you left that house," Kes stressed to her sister. "True, he should have been taken out of there as well, but that was up to Child Services, not the old man's victims."

"I just keep thinking I could have done something different."

"Well, say you had been able to somehow change things, and this had never happened," Mouse stretched out in her chair, "Either, he came back into your lives as Andrew, or he didn't come back at all… we would still be here for your concert, but who wouldn't be?" she questioned. "I wish to God that you hadn't had to go through the Hell you went through yesterday, but you're here with Jax, and Sam's here with Happy. Kes and I have Kozik and Juice. While I would change the horror, stress, and anxiety of the situation, I can't regret us meeting them."

Val was able to smile at Mouse, "Yeah, I guess you're right. I wouldn't change meeting Jax."

"And now you're making us Aunties," Kes smiled. "Gotta be honest, I thought it would be Toni and Sledge giving us that, but you and Jax, and Sam and Happy are gonna make some beautiful babies."

All five girls were smiling now. "I've been doing some research, and you can still perform while pregnant. In fact, quite a few performers do these days."

"We'll just need to tone down the jumping around, no stage diving, no firebreath," Kes started listing off things they couldn't do.

Toni added, "No trying out new stunts. That'll be for me, Kes and Mouse for the time being."

"And just think about shopping for all the little clothes!" Mouse squealed.

"Well," Val started, bushing a bit. "We can start that part now. Jax asked me to be Abel's mama." Four squeals answered her words.

"So," Toni sat up in shock, "We're like, literally, Aunts right now!"

"I saw the cutest little onesie and beanie at one of the booths," Kes gasped at the thought of shopping.

The doors to the bus opened, and their five men came out to join them. Juice was still blinking the sleep from his eyes, and none of them had shirts on. The girls were immediately distracted.

"I thought I heard Mouse squeal," Juice muttered, wiping his hands over his face.

"We just realized we're Aunties!" Mouse gushed to him as he took the chair next to him. "We have Abel, and then two more babies on the way."

Jax felt warm inside as he took a seat next to Val, and threw his arm over her shoulder. It made him warm to know that she had told her sisters she was going to his son's  
mother. She told her sisters, the most important people in her life, so he knew she wouldn't back out. It almost choked him, and he leaned in and kissed the side of her head. Life was good. His girl was safe, the threat over, she was going to be Abel's mama, and she had agreed to be his Old Lady. Jax didn't think he'd ever loved anyone as much as he loved Val; besides his mom and Abel of course. "What are the plans for today?" he asked.

"Last minute shopping," Kes grinned.

"Some more pictures and autographs," Toni added.

"Saying goodbye to our friends," Sam joined in.

Val leaned her head on Jax's shoulder, "Packing up and heading home."

"Chaos Party going to be at any of the other festivals this summer," Kozik asked.

"I think all of them," Kes responded.

The guys were nodding. "Good," Juice smiled. "I like those guys."

"Oh, we have a little nugget of gossip," Mouse grinned.

"Stacy came by this morning, and we are going to try to start over, with a clean slate," Val told them. "And then she said she'd go wake up Kip and send him back to us."

There was complete silence for two seconds and then the guys started laughing and making lewd comments about Half Sack proving himself as a Son by bagging a hot chick. The women decided not to let it annoy them. It was good for Half Sack.

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Jax could not believe the amount of crap the girls bought, and a helluva lot of it was for Abel. At first he had gotten confused when they bought things that were way too big for his little man, but Val had simply explained it was for as he grew, and he thought he should have known that. Somehow, Miranda and Max had joined their little shopping expedition, with Miranda joining in on the shopping and Max joining in on the commiserating.

"I think we're relocating," Max was talking to the Sons as they walked to a new booth.

"Whole band?" Happy asked.

"Yeah. I think it annoyed Miranda a little bit since she just moved from here less than a year ago, but we're really starting to get noticed now, and as great as Dallas is there  
are more opportunities out here in Cali."

"Well, I know the girl's will be happy that you'll still be close by," Sledge told the other man, smiling as he watched Toni talk animatedly with Val.

Max grinned. "Yeah, I sort of figured they'd be making their own move."

"Houston just isn't the same for them since Vivian passed away," Sledge frowned. "I think Bruno is trying to shut them out of the Club, not really sure why, but I know it  
hurts them."

"The Club you're at now, visiting, they like the girls?" Max asked.

Jax smiled. "Well, hell, I'd say every person in the Club loves those girls. My mom was plotting on ways to keep them after the whole stalker thing was dealt with and the summer concerts were done. She's into long term planning."

Max chuckled. "Well, I'll keep yall informed on what our plans are.

It wasn't long after that the groups had one last picture and autograph session. And then they were packing up and heading back to the Clubhouse. Jax thought maybe it was time to take Val to his house. Show her the place and talk to her about living there the majority of the time. He was wondering if she would have issues not living right there with her sisters. If she did, he didn't know how to get around that. He couldn't raise Abel at the Clubhouse.

When they pulled into the Teller-Morrow lot, Gemma and Clay were already out there waiting. The girls were off the bus first, leaving the men shaking their heads. "Brother, I think your girl stole your mom," Kozik laughed.

"Yours is right there with mine," Jax smirked at the other blonde man.

Gemma was crushing all the girls to her until she ended up with Val in her arms. Val hugged her tightly. "Oh, Baby Girl, I wanted to head there as soon as Clay said that Bastard took you, but he said you were already back from the hospital, and would be coming home today. Are you okay?"

"I'm okay, Gemma," Val told the woman still holding on. "I'm shaken up, and I probably will be for a while, but physically I'm good."

Jax had joined them and he tugged Val back into his arms, his mom still holding her hands. "We have a few to tell you guys," he announced.

Gemma felt giddy. Her mind was just going everywhere. The girls were staying. Val and Jax are together, like together-together.

"I asked Val to be my Old Lady, and she said she would," Jax grinned.

Now everyone was congratulating them. The only person who had known was Sam, because Val had told her.

Jax laughed seeing Val blush, "And Val is gonna be Abel's mama." Gemma felt tears coming to her eyes.

"We're all staying in Charming," Mouse busted in, causing everyone to laugh again.

Jax met Val's eyes and smiled at her, she leaned her head into his shoulder. "And we're gonna give you another grandbaby," he finished softly.

Clay smiled broadly. Gemma burst into tears. Another grandbaby. She'd be able to be there for the whole pregnancy. "Oh my God, Baby Girl," she moved back up and  
hugged Val again.

"Sam's having a baby too," Val murmured to her.

Gemma gave another jubilant cry. "And another grandbaby," she moved over to Sam, who was blushing, and starting to cry, and hugged the girl. "Clay, we're gonna have five  
grandbabies. Kenny, Ellie, Abel, and then Val and Jax's baby, and Sam and Happy's baby." Gemma moved to hug Happy, and then Jax, while Clay hugged everyone in turn.

Tears were falling onto Sam's cheeks. Gemma would never know what that meant to her. That she would think of Sam's baby as her grandbaby. It meant so much, and Happy was smiling.

Gemma turned to look at the other three girls. "You girls keep in mind, you all owe me grandbabies too!" All three girls blushed.

Everyone split up to take their things inside, and Val wanted a nap. Well, she said she wanted a nap. Jax helped her carry their things, and then when he turned to head out so she could take her nap, Val was standing, leaning against the door. "You're not gonna nap?"

"I definitely thought I'd lay down," she murmured.

"Oh," Jax began smirking, moving towards her. "Well, I think lying down is an extremely good idea." He put his hands on the door, on either side of her head, trapping her  
between his arms.

"Sometimes I have them."

Instead of saying anything, Jax struck, merging his mouth onto hers and kissing her heatedly. Their nap ended up lasting quite a while.

989898989

When Jax left, Val headed to the dorm room that she'd been using before Jax. She shut and locked the door. What she had in mind to do would upset some people, so she wasn't even going to tell them she was going to do it. The whole thing would probably end up pissing them off, but she'd have to live with that. There were a lot of things she just had to live with.

Before Andrew had gotten her to go into that building with him, she had only thought of Daddy Daniel in an abstract sense. He was simply old memories that she and Sam shared, and comforted each other from. She'd never considered if he was still alive, if he still fostered children, was he free or in prison? And once those thoughts struck, she couldn't get them to leave. So, she was going to use her laptop, that she normally only used for music related projects, or online shopping, and she was going to search to see what happened to Daddy Daniel; Daniel Koch.

It was amazing to her how easy it was to find information about people. Public records out there for viewing by anyone. Records that could be purchased by anyone, as long as they had a valid credit card with enough available credit. It did not take long for Val to find Daniel Koch. He was in prison, in Nevada. She poured over everything she could find. They hadn't taken the boys from the home when she and Sam had been taken. And he didn't suffer any trouble for what he'd done to them. They gave him a reprimand. He'd moved to another state, Kansas. Started fostering children there. This time he raped a twelve year old, and he did serve time. Six months, out for good behavior. Once he was done with Parole, he moved again, this time Illinois. It was like they didn't even check his records. He was given four children to foster. All four children, boys and girls, accused him of molesting them. He did another year. Then out. Good behavior again. It made Val feel nauseous. Daniel moved to Ohio. Teachers were beginning to suspect something with him and the ten year old girl he was fostering, but when they went to check in, he and the girl were gone. Val was weeping. Years. He'd been doing it for years, and they just kept letting him go and kept giving him children. He turned up in Nevada, no mention of the girl. That's not good, she thought. In Nevada he was given twins. Fraternal, a boy and a girl. They were four. Within six months the children were acting out. Within a year the little boy was a zombie, almost catatonic. And the little girl never went to school. One day the neighbors heard strange sounds and called the cops. They ended up having to bust down the door. Daniel asleep in the living room, sleeping off a bender, and the children dead. Both assaulted. So now he was doing real time.

But there was something else that Val wanted to know. So, her search went backwards in time. She found when he first started fostering. Two years before she and Sam went to live with him. And she found the information she'd been praying didn't exist. Seventeen complaints. There were seventeen complaints logged with Houston CPS in the two years before that monster got her, her sister, and Andrew. Now Val was sobbing, and she shoved the laptop off the bed, where it clunked onto the ground. She curled herself into a ball, feeling the complete pain of knowing that what they went through, and what every child after them had gone through, could have been prevented. If at least one of those complaints had been taken seriously. If one of those complaints had stopped the system from continuing to provide him with victims. Val was glad she looked, but it broke her heart.

She probably lay there for an hour before her tears slowed. She was a little numb, and words were fluttering through her mind. A song. New music. Val grabbed one of the many notepads they kept around in case inspiration struck, and she began writing.

98989898

"Ma, you seen Val?" Jax asked. He'd gone to wake her up, thinking that after their afternoon romp she'd decided to take that nap after all. She wasn't there.

Gemma looked at her worried son, "No, Baby, I haven't heard or seen her since you went for your nap," she said the word 'nap' a little sarcastically. As if she didn't know  
what they'd been up to.

"Maybe she's on the bus," he muttered, completely missing her sarcasm, as he headed out. He saw Kes, Kozik, Toni and Sledge arranging their makeshift stage again. Now that they were back, they planned on practicing and playing at parties. "Hey, you guys seen Val?"

"No," Kes answered, "Not since the nap."

"She's not on the bus," Toni offered. "We were just on there unloading a few things."

"You sure she left the dorms?" Kozik asked.

"She's not in the dorm," Jax told him.

"Is she not in YOUR dorm," Toni asked, "Or is she not in ANY dorm?"

Jax turned around and headed into the Clubhouse. Of course he hadn't checked any of the other dorms, why would he? When he got into the hallway to the dorms he frowned to see Sam and Happy now standing in the hallway outside of the door to the room Val had been using.

"Val, I know you're in there. I hear you crying, please let me in," Sam sounded worried. Happy looked worried.

"Val's in there?" Jax asked Happy, who nodded. Jax got up against the door and he too could hear Val weeping. It broke his heart, and he didn't know why she was crying.

"Please, Valeria, you're worrying me," Sam begged.

"Val, Darlin', let us in the room," Jax stated.

"I'm… writing," she said from behind the door. "I'm not done yet."

"Can I help you?" Sam asked.

"No."

"Val, please Baby, at least unlock the door. Let me see you, then I'll let you write," Jax leaned his forehead to the door. "How long has she been in there?"

"I think I heard her go in right after you headed out to the garage," Happy murmured.

Shit, Jax thought, that's been a couple hours now. What the hell happened?

Val stared at the door. She wasn't quite done yet. She only had the words and the piano music. But Sam and Jax sounded so worried. Sam shouldn't stress. And Jax… he'd had enough scares lately. She wiped her eyes, not that it stopped the tears from flowing, and she unlocked the door, slowly opening it. Seeing Jax's worried face had her immediately moving into him, his arms wrapping around her automatically.

"Babe, what happened?" he asked her gently.

"I don't want to talk about it, okay?" she asked in a small voice. "I did something that I knew would upset everyone, but I felt I had to. It was upsetting. But I'm going to be okay. I will."

"I'm not mad at you, Babe," he didn't know what she did, but if she'd known everyone would get angry, and had done it anyway, then she felt strongly about it, and it didn't seem to be something that physically harmed her except for the stress and the crying. "I just want to…. No, I NEED to know you're okay." She nodded into his shoulder.

She looked at her sister, which almost made her start crying again, thinking how they could have been saved. "I'm sorry Sam. I should have let you in. I love you."

Sam had tears in her eyes, "I love you too, Val." Sam squeezed her sister's shoulder, and then she and Happy headed out of the dorms. Happy gave Val a pat on the shoulder as he walked past.

"I love you, Jackson," Val said, looking up and meeting his eyes.

"I love you too," he told her brushing his fingertips along her jawline. She was so beautiful, like a beautiful Angel, and her skin was so soft. He couldn't imagine how he'd gotten so goddamned lucky that she'd fallen in love with him. Even with all the other bullshit. Tara, Ash, the stalker, her fidelity issues…. They'd made it through all of it. And now she was his, and she was taking his tattoo, to show everyone she was his. She said she'd raise Abel, and she was giving him another baby, this time he'd be there for everything. In that moment, Jax knew that he not only wanted Valeria as his Old Lady, but he wanted her as his wife. 


	16. Chapter 16

Disclaimer: I own nothing but my soul and a shih tzu. I make no money from either of these fandoms.

9898989899

After they ate they went to see Abel. Now that she was pregnant, they couldn't take his bike, so he borrowed his mom's car and decided to look into a car within the next few days. On their way there Jax decided to broach the topic of living at his house. "So I know you and your sisters are close," he began hesitantly. "But I can't raise Abel in the Clubhouse twenty-four/seven. I was hoping that you, Abel and I could live in my house when he gets out of the hospital."

She looked at him. "What does that have to do with my sisters and I being close?" she asked in confusion.

"Well, it seems like you're together all the time. I guess I figured you lived together," he explained.

She grinned, and he could see she was amused. "Jax, within about six months of turning eighteen, all of us moved out of Aunt Viv's. We all got our own places. None of us live together. Oh, we considered it, but our music was making money and we figured we could afford our own, we wanted to be a little more independent. That's not saying we lived far away from each other. We all sort of stayed within a mile radius, but we haven't lived together for a while."

Jax felt relief. "So, what do you think of living in my house?"

Val had to think for a moment. "Is it the house you lived in with your wife, Wendy? The same bed you slept in?"

"The bed's been replaced, and Wendy had her own house." Jax faced forward in the car. "By the time we got back from Reno, I knew I'd fucked up. I didn't want to be married. I started divorce proceedings, and then she said she was pregnant. I didn't react well. Then, Mom and I found out she was using again, provided by fucking Darby, and we tried to get her cleaned up. Didn't know what that shit was doin' to the baby. She was clean for maybe two weeks, Mom went over to check on her, found her convulsing on the floor, her mouth foamy. They got her into emergency surgery, and managed to save Abel, but not Wendy. Then I had a baby with our family flaw, a hole in his belly, and going through withdrawal. But when I saw him, lying there in that toaster, every thought flew out of my head. He was perfect. And I'd never loved something or someone as much as I did him."

"Life hasn't been easy for your Little Man," she murmured, reaching over and entwining her fingers with his.

"No, they haven't, but things are going up for him. Doctors say it's almost time for him to come home. And he'll have a mama and a daddy."

They pulled into the hospital parking lot, and headed inside.

"I have to pee," she whispered to him. Val wasn't even showing yet, but felt she had to pee more often.

"You want me to wait?"

She shook her head. "I'll meet you up there."

Jax hesitated for a moment, but then headed up to NICU. He'd only been talking to Abel for a moment when someone entered the room behind him. He knew it wasn't Val. Jax strolled around the incubator so he could face the door, but there was something between him and whoever entered. It was exactly who he thought it was… Tara. "Dr. Knowles," he said cordially, and then looked down at his son again.

Tara winced. "Really, Jax? Dr. Knowles? After all we were together, all we've been?"

"We dated a long time ago," he told her straightforward. "And you were gone a long time. I don't know you anymore, and you don't know me. We aren't the same people as we were back then. Shit, it was high school. You think you know everything there is to know when you're in high school."

"But, we could get to know each other again," she suggested. "We could start as friends, see if something else develops."

Jax was shaking his head. "You're not getting it, and I don't know if that's the truth of it, or that you aren't letting yourself get it. I'm happy now. I have a woman who means the world to me. She means the world to everyone in my life. And she feels the same about them. Val loves the Club, and everyone in it. She accepts every part of me, and asks for very little in return. And I would give her the moon if I could. She could ask me for anything, and I'd do my damnedest to make it happen. That won't ever go away. It won't ever stop. Even having a cup of coffee with you won't stop me and Val. So why waste the time? You don't want to be friends with me."

Tara was hurt; she was hurt and her pride was hurt, and she was angry. "And what happens when you go on one of your runs and you find some outside entertainment. She'll find out. Everyone does. How will she feel about you then?" she said spitefully.

"I promised Val to be faithful, and I will be faithful," and it was funny, because as much as he'd known they were true before, saying them out loud to Tara Knowles just cemented that… that was what he wanted. He didn't want to be with another woman. He didn't want to fuck another woman.

"Bullshit, you couldn't be faithful," Tara snapped. She'd know. Even in High School he'd fucked around on her.

"I trust him," Val's voice came from the doorway. Tara whirled to face her. "We made a promise to each other and as far as I'm concerned, he'll keep it."

"Then you don't know Jax," Tara sniped.

Val blinked at her and walked into the room, walking over to stand next to Jax, and she gave him a kiss on the side of the mouth. "Maybe I know Jax better than you think. The Jax you knew was seventeen. A kid. He's not seventeen anymore," she pointed out to the doctor. Then she turned to Jax, "How is our Little Man doing?"

Tara's face blanched at the words, and she turned on her heel and left. There was no fucking way she was letting that blonde bitch take Jax and Abel from her. She knew exactly what to do to break that 'trust'.

98989898989

On the drive back to the lot, Val stared out the window. "Earlier, when I was writing, I just let all of the pain from my past, Ash, and Andrew out. I don't know if we'll ever use it, but I want to play it for my sisters when we get back."

"Do you mind if I listen?" he asked softly.

"Not at all, I just don't want you to ever feel like you have to listen."

"Val, I don't want to upset you, but if I promise not to get angry, will you please tell me what you were doing earlier?"

Val took a deep breath. "A lot of what Andrew said to me made me think. When I was six, and they took me and Sam out of that house, there were still boys there. So I  
looked up public records to find out what ever happened to Daniel Koch. We called him Daddy Daniel, because he liked it. There was a lot of really bad stuff he after we were taken away, and he's in prison now, for many years to come… supposedly." Val remembered what their idea of 'Good Behavior' seemed to involve. "All of it was upsetting, but the worst part was looking back, before we went to his home. There were seventeen complaints against him in the two years from when he began fostering until we got there. Seventeen. They did nothing." Val's voice trembled, "And that upset me the most. They had warning, but they sent us there anyway."

Jax was quiet. Jesus Christ, what a fucking system. "I'm not angry about that, Babe," he told her honestly. "I'm worried. If you're going to do something so upsetting, next time let me know. That way I can be there for you if you need me."

"Thank you, Jax," she murmured.

He just picked up her hand and kissed it.

9898989

Someone built a fire up in the firepit, and it looked like the majority of the group was sitting out around it. Nice night for it.

Jax and Val walked over to join them, and took a seat on the picnic table near Sam and Happy. Donna and Opie were there, and they came over to hug Val, and congratulate both of them. Val was happy to see Tig and Vinnie sitting out with everyone. Vinnie's bruises were healing and everything was more a light green now. She had decided to take the semester off from school to fully heal and be comfortable around people again. The university had been quite accommodating when they found out why she needed the time. They'd even made sure her full-ride scholarship would be there for her.

"So, Valli," Kes began, "Sam told us you were locked up writing earlier. You far enough along we can hear any of it?"

"Lyrics and piano," she told them.

"Will you play it" Toni asked.

"It's pretty emotional, you guys sure you want to hear it tonight?" she asked, looking at the group.

"Okay," Val nodded. She squeezed Jax's hand for support and he squeezed back. She stood and headed back to the piano that had been moved back into place. Val took a  
deep breath before beginning.

Well, you almost had me fooled

Told me that I was nothing without you

Oh, and after everything you've done

I can thank you for how strong I have become

'Cause you brought the flames and you put me through hell  
I had to learn how to fight for myself  
And we both know all the truth I could tell  
I'll just say this is I wish you farewell

I hope you're somewhere praying, praying  
I hope your soul is changing, changing  
I hope you find your peace  
Falling on your knees, praying

I'm proud of who I am  
No more monsters, I can breathe again  
And you said that I was done  
Well, you were wrong and now the best is yet to come

'Cause I can make it on my own  
And I don't need you, I found a strength I've never known  
I've been thrown out, I've been burned ( _[Live version:]_ I'll bring thunder, I'll bring rain)  
When I'm finished, they won't even know your name

You brought the flames and you put me through hell  
I had to learn how to fight for myself  
And we both know all the truth I could tell  
I'll just say this is I wish you farewell

I hope you're somewhere praying, praying  
I hope your soul is changing, changing  
I hope you find your peace  
Falling on your knees, praying

Oh, sometimes, I pray for you at night  
Oh, someday, maybe you'll see the light  
Oh, some say, in life you gonna get what you give  
But some things, only God can forgive

I hope you're somewhere praying, praying  
I hope your soul is changing, changing  
I hope you find your peace  
Falling on your knees, praying

Val let the last note sound, and slowly took her fingers off of the keys. She turned to look at the group by the fire, and she saw some faces glistening with tears, some eyes looked at her with understanding, and one special pair of blue eyes looked at her with love.

Jax got up and walked over to her. "That was beautiful, Babe. You're right very emotional, but beautiful."

"I can already hear the drums," Kes said softly. "Nothing in the beginning, coming in a little late."

"Same with bass and guitar," Sam agreed. "It was amazing, Val."

"You made me cry," Toni laughed as she dried the tears on her face.

"I just… With Ash, and Andrew, and Andrew bringing up memories that I normally bury down deep, it all just needed an outlet."

"Baby Girl, you have an amazing outlet." Gemma told the younger girl.

"Thanks, Gemma," she smiled at the other woman. "It's normally, not that easy."

"So," Jax began, "Val and I were talking, and when Abel's ready to come home, we're going to move into my house." Then he prepared to be yelled at.

"That makes a lot of sense," Mouse was nodding.

"You can't raise a baby in the Clubhouse." Kes added.

Then everyone started commenting on it, and Jax could relax. Everyone accepted it, and no one was hurt.

"Sledge, have you talked to Bruno about transferring," Kes asked.

Sledge nodded. "Yeah, he said they voted today and released me… so I am currently without Club."

Clay tossed something to Sledge, and Sledge it, a confused look on his face. "No you're not. Bruno already talked to me, and we had a quick meeting. You're with SAMCRO now, God help you," Clay chuckled, and the other men laughed.

Sledge looked at the patches Clay had thrown to him. "Thanks. This means a lot guys."

"He also said they would box up Vivian's house, and your apartments and get it here. That way there was less for you to do," Clay told the girls. He had a feeling these actions would be hurtful.

Toni jerked a little bit, "Oh."

"Great, sounds great," Kes murmured. "Whatever is easiest."

"He really doesn't want us around anymore," Mouse's face was filled with anguish. "We didn't imagine it."

"In the end we were just in the way, and causing problems for the Club," Sam said softly.

"It's so easy for him," Val was looking into the fire. "So easy to take away another family. Easy to get us our shit and pretend we don't exist."

Clay wished he could argue with any one of them, but he couldn't. When he'd talked to the other Club President, the man had seemed relieved to see the girls gone. Clay didn't understand that. Yes, they were certainly high spirited, and did things a little crazy, but if you took in the history of their childhood's, well, he would rather them be high spirited and crazy, then depressed and suicidal. Which gave him something to say. "It doesn't matter whether or not they want you there, because all of us, everyone around this fire, and the ones that aren't here tonight, we all love you, and we were all coming up with plans on how to keep you here. WE want you here. I think I could even say, we need you here. You're an integral part of this family. So fuck those guys if they aren't smart enough to realize that shit."

All five girls, moved to catch Clay in a group hug, causing Gemma to laugh, which she was glad for since what he'd said made her a little misty-eyed.

98989898 

(Song: Praying by Kesha. I think this is such a beautiful song)


	17. Chapter 17

Disclaimer: I own nothing but my soul and a shih tzu. I make no money from either of these fandoms.

9898989

The next day life got back to a semblance of normal. The guys were working, and the girls were practicing. It was warm out so the girls were in their bikinis and cutoffs, which made it easy for the men to get distracted.

Currently they were practicing one where Kes sang, and Val played the drums. Gemma came out of the office holding a large box, and began walking it over to the girls. "Ladies, your rappelling equipment is here."

Kes pumped her fist into the air, "Yes!''

Mouse squealed. "This is AWESOME! Val and Sam can't rappel which means I get to!"

Val looked at the guys who had come out of the garage, "So, like, you guys don't need to go with us anymore, since the whole stalker thing is over and done with. Right? I mean, if someone gets hurt, one of us who isn't rappelling can come for help."

"That's true," Clay agreed, making a few of the men a little nervous.

Over protective bastards, thought the girls.

"How about this though," Clay suggested. "How about you let us have a few of those listening things. That way if something did go wrong, we'd know right away and it would take less time."

"That seems fair," Sam nodded.

The girls didn't want to wait until the next day, so they grabbed a few things, and headed out to their bridge. Mouse left three of the ear pieces, but they didn't even realize the men simply planned on turned the CB on and just keep it on and loud.

"You never told us how Abel was doing yesterday?" Sam reminded her sister.

Val smiled. "He's beautiful, and he's so much stronger than when we saw him the first time."

"Did 'she' show?" Kes asked.

"Yeah. She always does. I didn't get cornered in the hallway this time though."

"That's a step up," Toni offered.

"Not really, she was in the room with Jax and Abel," Val sighed. "It's like she has a fucking magnet that is just drawn to him as soon as he enters that floor."

"Well," Mouse was thinking. "It's possible she sort of does…"

"Okay, explain that one."

"Well, maybe she has security or the front desk tell her when he comes in. Maybe she's told them something like she has to be there when he shows, or some other shit  
excuse."

Jax looked up at the other guys in surprise. He'd never thought anything of Tara showing up. It annoyed him, but he just dealt.

"Sounds like something she would do," Val muttered.

"Val…" Sam began, "you can't let her get to you."

"He traded up," Mouse repeated her favorite expression.

"I don't think it works that way, Mouse," Val said softly.

"Are you feeling negative?" Toni asked. "Because I think you're feeling negative."

"Yes, Antoinette, I'm feeling negative."

"Tell your sissies all about it, love." Kes ordered.

Jax had stopped working to move closer to the CB.

"Isn't the negative what makes us good songwriters?" Val tried to evade.

"Well, yes," Toni stated bluntly. "But, even when you don't feel like you can tell anyone what you're feeling… like you can't tell a soul… you tell us."

"I'm so fucked up," Val spoke, her voice trembling a little. "I love Jax. But, if I loved him the right way, wouldn't I walk away from him?"

Jax swallowed hard, his hand tightening on the wrench in his hand.

"He deserves the absolute best. I am a kick ass musician, I'm a great friend, and I'd like to think I'm a pretty great sister, but relationship wise? Am I really worth that much?" she sighed. "But I'm so fucking selfish," she gave a little laugh. "So selfish, because even though Tara is probably better for Jax, I can't walk away from him. I love  
him so fucking much." Val's voice was heavy with her emotions. "And now we have this baby coming, and I'm going to have Abel… and what if I'm the worst mother ever? What if I completely screw these kids up? Cuz let's face it? A PTA mom, I'm not. I'm the chick who's going to dye her kid's hair green when he or she is three. Their language is going to be atrocious."

"Oh sweetie," Toni's voice was light, "You're going to be an amazing Mom. Because you learned from Viv. And at the end of the day, the kid's hair and language, aren't going to be what makes a badass human. It's how you're going to teach them not to judge someone by the color of their skin."

"Or how it's okay to love whoever you end up loving, that you'll love them no matter what!" Kes added.

"How family, the one they're born with, and the one they create, is the most important thing in this world," Mouse said.

Now all the men were gathered around the CB.

"You'll teach them to never turn their back on someone. Like when they're five, and stuck in the wall, and the house mother is calling for you, and you know if you don't go you'll get privileges taken away, but you also know that if the house mother finds your sister stuck in the wall, she'll get into even bigger trouble."

"That was very specific, Sam," Toni laughed.

"Ah, the great wall incident," Mouse exaggerated. "I think I have a picture of that."

"Vallie girl," Sam said. "You're going to be an amazing mom, because you're not alone. We will all teach all of our children. We will teach them to love, to laugh, to play, to accept, to protect, how to work hard. And now, you not only have the four of us, you have all of SAMCRO, right there. Jax is an amazing daddy to Abel. And he'll be an amazing daddy to our baby in your belly."

Gemma began rubbing Jax's back, he didn't talk, and she knew he was emotional. To her eyes it looked like a few of the guys were emotional. The girls were quiet, and it made them think they were doing their touching foreheads thing.

Then Mouse broke the silence, "Ah, son of a bitch, we were having a fucking moment here! What does Minute-Dick want?"

Jax scowled.

A car crunched to a stop on the other side of the radio. "Ladies, how are you all doing this afternoon?"

"We're doing great, Officer Hale," Toni said with fake cheerfulness.

"You all out for a walk?"

Kes sighed heavily. They were pretty sure it was Kes, because then they heard her mutter, "What gave it away? Well there goes rappelling today… fucker."

"Yep," Val answered the man. "We like to get in our exercise every day. Sometimes running in the mornings just isn't enough."

"So you hike in full backpack?"

"Does it matter?" Mouse blurted out in frustration, "Sorry, I mean, is it a big deal to do that here? We did it back home all the time."

Juice was laughing, "My girl does not have a lot of patience with that guy."

"I'm losing my patience with him too," Jax sneered.

"No, no big deal." Hale gave a laugh. "So, Valeria, I'm glad I ran into you."

Kes muttered, "Fuck me this is painful."

Kozik coughed to hide a laugh.

"Did you need something Officer Hale," Val asked politely.

"Please, call me David," he said charmingly.

"Oh my god I just threw up a little in my mouth," Sam murmured. Happy just shook his head. Tig was laughing.

"I don't feel comfortable doing that, Officer Hale." Val said. "I don't know you well enough for something like that."

"Well, about that, I was hoping you'd do me the honor of accompanying me to dinner one night this week?"

"Okay, now I might be sick," Toni wheezed.

"I'm sorry, Officer Hale, I'm just not interested. I am flattered by the request, but it wouldn't be proper seeing as I'm involved in a relationship with Jax Teller." She told him pleasantly.

Jax smiled smugly. Yeah fucker, he thought, she's involved with me.

"Teller?" his voice had hardened slightly.

"Yes, that's right."

"You're aware that he's a convicted criminal, aren't you? And that he's currently under suspicion of other crimes."

"I do know that Jax has a history in the justice system," Val responded. "As for currently being under suspicion of anything… well, I don't know what he could have possibly  
done. Jax is almost always with me. I had a bit of a stalker issue, and he was watching over me. We have been together almost constantly since we arrived from Houston. I even go with him to see his son at the hospital. And he accompanied us last weekend to the music festival in San Francisco."

Complete silence. Then… "Oh."

"Is that all you needed today?" she said on the edge of polite.

"Yes, Ma'am," now Hale's voice was brittle, "You ladies have a nice day."

The sound of the vehicle driving away could be heard. Then Sam started giggling.

"Oh, shut the fuck up," Val told her sister.

"You were awesome" Toni laughed. "What an annoying dick."

"I think I'm going to post the pictures of his dick online," Mouse chirped.

"Oh, Mouse, not again," Kes moaned. "I know he aggravates you, but you cannot put pictures of people's private parts online just because they annoy you."

"Yes I can," Mouse disagreed.

"Shit, remind me not to annoy her," Bobby muttered.

"I told you she was the most vicious of the bunch," Tig told his brother. "Day she showed up."

"Hey, you uh, you guys don't think that fat ninja squirrel is still there do you?" Sam asked nervously. Happy shook his head.

"Scary fucker," Val commiserated. "Little bastard got us caught."

"You aren't going to have a vendetta against a squirrel are you?" Mouse asked.

"Maybe," Sam and Val said at the same time.

"Okay." Toni sighed. "We're here. I think we should attach to the biggest tree there, the one you all spun down. Then, we'll climb to the top, and figure out how to do this."

"You did read the instructions, right?" Sam asked.

"Well," Kes answered. "I read how to attach the harness and the ropes. We'll figure out the rest as we go."

"Oh Jesus Fucking Christ," Kozik snapped.

It got quiet for a few minutes. "Well, we have a situation," Toni sighed.

"What?" Mouse asked.

"Val is the one who attached everything at the top of the tree last time. She helped get Kes up there, and then Sam, before coming down."

Jax was scared for a moment that Val would climb that fucking tree.

"Sorry, babe, no can do," Val told her sister.

"We should have brought Half Sack," Mouse said, "We could have made him do it."

"Hey!" Half Sack looked affronted.

"Well, shit," Kes muttered.

"Aiyeeeee," the guys heard Sam scream in fear, and then two splashes.

"Holy shit!" Happy was already moving. The other men who belonged to the girls followed, and Half Sack drove the van. Clay just waved to them.

When they got to the bridge, Sam and Val had just gotten out of the water, and were shivering. Mouse was lying on the ground cackling. Kes had a grimace on her face. And Toni had her hand over her mouth, trying not to laugh.

"What the fuck happened?" Jax asked.

"Samantha thought she saw that squirrel from last time, grabbed at me, and we fell backwards into that fucking cold water," Val's teeth were chattering.

"I said I was sorry!"

"You should have seen it!" Mouse said between chortles. "I wish I'd filmed it. It just went too fast."

"Aw Baby," Jax walked over, taking his flannel off and wrapping it around Val.

Happy was already over at Sam hugging her to him, not caring if she got him wet. He had a huge grin on his face.

"You and Sam get in the van, we'll head home." Jax told her. He was going to have to talk to her about what they'd heard. He didn't look forward to it. He didn't want to  
upset her, but, he had to get through to her that she was his. That he loved her. And that he belonged to her just as much.

He put off the talk for a while. The girls got changed, and went back out to practice. Kes singing again.

(K)Oh oh

Ever wonder about what he's doing?  
How it all turned to lies?  
Sometimes I think that it's better to never ask why

(A)Where there is desire  
There is gonna be a flame  
Where there is a flame  
Someone's bound to get burned  
But just because it burns  
Doesn't mean you're gonna die  
You've gotta get up and try, and try, and try  
Gotta get up and try, and try, and try  
You gotta get up and try, and try, and try

(K) Eh, eh, eh

Funny how the heart can be deceiving  
More than just a couple times  
Why do we fall in love so easy?  
Even when it's not right

(A) Where there is desire  
There is gonna be a flame  
Where there is a flame  
Someone's bound to get burned  
But just because it burns  
Doesn't mean you're gonna die  
You've gotta get up and try, and try, and try  
Gotta get up and try, and try, and try  
You gotta get up and try, and try, and try

(K) Ever worry that it might be ruined  
And does it make you wanna cry?  
When you're out there doing what you're doing  
Are you just getting by?  
Tell me are you just getting by, by, by?

(A) Where there is desire  
There is gonna be a flame  
Where there is a flame  
Someone's bound to get burned  
But just because it burns  
Doesn't mean you're gonna die  
You've gotta get up and try, and try, and try  
Gotta get up and try, and try, and try  
You gotta get up and try, and try, and try  
Gotta get up and try, and try, and try  
Gotta get up and try, and try, and try  
You gotta get up and try, and try, and try  
Gotta get up and try, and try, and try

You gotta get up and try, and try, and try  
Gotta get up and try, and try, and try

"Hey, do you all want to try Amen?" Toni asked. "We haven't played at a concert yet, and I think we should do it at the next festival."

Val stood up, putting the sticks down. "Yeah, I'm willing to give it a full run through. No stopping. If something seems off, let's wait to the end, then we can fix everything." For this one Val wasn't playing an instrument she was only singing, "I'm gonna do it the way I would in concert." The other girls nodded.

(V) Can I get a..

Woo hoo

(T) Can I get a…

Whoo hoo

(S) Can I get a

Woo hoo

(K) Can I get a…

(V) A fire's gotta burn  
The world is gonna turn  
A rain has gotta fall  
Fate is gonna call  
But I just keep on breathing  
Long as my heart is beating

Val was in perfect concert form, striding across the stage. Her eyes weren't really focusing on anything, it was like she was imagining a crowd in front of them.

Someone's gotta hate  
It's never gonna change  
Gets harder everyday  
This is one hell of a place  
Keep your heart from freezing  
To keep yourself believing

But I won't run  
I'm not afraid  
I'll look em in the eye  
Gonna hear me say  
It's...

(A) My life  
My love  
My sex  
My drug  
My lust  
My god it ain't no sin  
Can I get it  
Can I get an Amen  
My grace  
My church  
My pain  
My tears  
My hurt  
My god, I'll say it again  
Can I get it  
Can I get an Amen

(V) Life has gotta kill  
Faith is gonna blind  
Hope is gonna fade  
The truth is gonna lie  
Sometimes there's no reason  
To justify the meaning

But I won't run  
I'm not ashamed

(V,S) It's gonna take more than this for me to break

(A) My life  
My love  
My sex  
My drug  
My lust  
My god it ain't no sin  
Can I get it?  
Can I get an Amen?  
My grace  
My church  
My pain  
My tears  
My hurt  
My god, I'll say it again  
Can I get it?  
Can I get an Amen?

Jax couldn't take his eyes off of her. She really was magnificent. And she chose him. He'd fought for her to, but she had. He wouldn't let her go now.

He knew that if they wanted to, DOD could go far. He wondered if she'd ever regret not taking it further than what they were doing now.

(A) My life, my love, my sex, my drug  
My lust...

My life  
My love  
My sex  
My drug  
My lust  
My god it ain't no sin  
Can I get it?  
Can I get an Amen?  
My grace  
My church  
My pain  
My tears  
My hurt  
My god, I'll say it again  
Can I get it?

(V) Can I get an Amen?

They moved on from that to a song for Toni to sing, and then Sam sang. Mouse was sitting on a chaise lounge in her bikini, and she was doing something on her computer and giggling every once in a while. Juice looked nervous, and Jax didn't want to know.

When it was time for bed, Jax got nervous. "Val," he started, and she looked up from where she was getting into bed.

"Hmmm?"

Jax sat on the bed facing her. "I need to say a few things to you. First, you're not fucked up. You had horrible experiences, but you're NOT fucked up. You're beautiful and kind, smart and funny, you're so much more." He moved his hand up into her hair, and held her forehead to his. He knew she was surprised. "You're not selfish, because if you tried to leave I'd find you and drag you right back. I need you. Abel needs you. You're already an amazing mother, because you're giving my son a mother. I love you, Valeria. I know that there are going to be things that you tell your sisters, that you don't tell me. I understand that. But we heard today, and I needed to tell you how I felt. I know I probably sound like a giant pussy."

She giggled. "I love you too, Jackson Teller. Now, why don't you remind me how I got pregnant."

989898989898

(Song- Try—Pink; Amen—Halestorm)


	18. AN

Author's Note: Just a little note to say my two stories for SOA aren't going to update as fast as they have been. Count on once a week, will try for more. Swamped at work, and working a lot of over time.


	19. Chapter 18

A/N: Jocelyn I hope you like the Sappy moment.

I did make a picture of how i picture the five girls. trying to find a way to put them where people can see them.

Disclaimer: I own nothing but my soul and a shih tzu. I make no money from this fandom.

9989899

It had been a few weeks since San Francisco, and they would be headed to the next concert soon. That day the men were working, and the women were off on their jog. Val had told Jax that they would be slowing to a fast walk soon, but they had already slowed from running to jogging. Sam was ten weeks pregnant, and Val eight. They had both been to see a doctor, who seemed overall pleased with their health. She hadn't been happy to find out that Val had been a smoker, but was appeased that she hadn't touched a cigarette since she'd found out. Then the woman had gone after Jax telling him no smoking around Val. He still smoked, though not as much, and never around her. Jax settled for the fucking gum if he really needed it, and he hated the gum. But he loved Val and his baby, so he did it. The whole thing that was on repeat in his mind was that if they'd done it this way with Abel, he wouldn't be so ill now. Of course it hadn't fucking helped that Wendy had been a goddamned junkie.

That day had been Vinnie's first day back to running with the ladies. Physically, she looked wonderful, but Jax knew there were a lot of emotional things going on. How could there not be? However, and this had sort of shocked all of the Sons, Tig had really stepped up to the plate, and he took care of the girl like she was made of fragile glass. Jax could only think that eventually, Vinnie would get sick of it, and tell Tig to knock it the fuck off. But they'd all noticed that having that steady female presence in his world had calmed Tig, or maybe it was just who the female presence was.

The ladies got back from their jog and went in to shower before practicing. Vinnie had started sitting out with Mouse and soaking up the sun while the others were busy. Normally she had some textbook in her hands, and when asked about it she would say that just because she was taking the semester off, didn't mean she wanted to fall behind.

They were a few hours into practicing and working on a new song when Gemma came over holding a fat Fed-Ex envelope.

"I'm starting to think you girls get more mail than I do," Gemma teased, handing the envelope to Mouse.

"Thanks Gemma, we could have come and gotten it from the office." Toni said from the stage.

"Not a problem, Sweetheart, gave me an excuse to move around."

"What is it Mousie?" Sam asked.

"I think it's your new contract from Mags," Mouse sounded a smidgeon excited. She turned to Vinnie and whispered, "Now let's watch this fucking trainwreck."

The girls jumped off the stage and moved over to take the envelope. They stared at it for a few moments, before Kes finally ripped it open. She gave one of the packets of paper over to Mouse, and then handed around the other copies.

"Why are there five copies?" Vinnie asked.

"You'll see," Mouse leaned back on her chaise lounge, ready for the show.

All four girls were reading quietly when Toni exclaimed, "What the fuck?" She rapidly began turning the page back and forth as if reading something, and then reading it again.

"Oh, I don't fucking think so," Kes was the next to get to something she didn't like.

"They want WHAT?" Sam screeched.

"That stupid BITCH!" Val bellowed.

The men were starting to come out of the garage, and Sledge winced, "Oh shit, new contracts came. That's not gonna be pretty."

"Dude, it this manager is so horrible, why do they keep her?" Juice asked, just shaking his head at Mouse who was chuckling as she read a copy of her sisters' supposedly new contract. Vinnie was reading over her shoulder, and Vinnie's mouth was open in shock.

Toni had begun ripping hers to shreds. Kes had thrown hers to the ground and was stomping on it. Same was heading towards the bus, and Val had taken out her butterfly knife and had begun stabbing the packet of paper.

"I didn't know she kept a knife on her," Jax mused out loud.

"Oh shit, Sam's heading for the bus, Sam is heading for the bus," Sledge got a panicky tone to his voice and he started running towards Sam and the bus.

Happy was frowning as he exchanged a look with Jax.

"Think we should do anything," Kozik asked. He really didn't want to. The look on Kes's face currently did not mean good things for him.

Sledge had come off the bus, carrying Sam over his shoulder. Happy looked alarmed and headed towards them. Sam was screaming, "Let me get my gun, Sledge! I WANT my fucking gun!"

The butterfly knife snapped in Val's hand, and cut her. She didn't seem to care. "I need a knife! Bring me the biggest fucking knife."

"Okay," Jax sighed. "We need to calm them down. This can't be good for the babies." Jax walked over to Val, whose eyes were filled with rage. "Baby, I need you to calm down." When it looked like she was going to go off on him, he played dirty. "This can't be good for the baby." Yep, that deflated the anger a bit.

Happy had relieved Sledge of Sam, and was speaking quietly in her ear.

Sledge had moved over to Toni, and Kozik had bitten the bullet and approached Kes. Couldn't look like a pussy in front of the other guys, could he?

They threw the four mangled contracts, and pieces of contract, into a burn barrel, and Sam threw in a piece that Happy had turned into kindling, and then lit on fire. They watched the paper burn, pure satisfaction on the faces of the four women.

Then, following Sledge's lead, they all pulled up seats near Mouse, and pulled the ladies into their laps. Juice was already sitting with Mouse, and Tig had moved over to Vinnie almost as soon as the raised voices began.

"Alright," Mouse began. "We've got the normal bullshit, although it looks like she wants a raise."

"She's lucky we're letting her breathe," Sam hissed.

"And here's where it starts getting interesting. Legal blah, blah, blah, and she wants you to pose for Playboy."

"I don't fucking think so," Sledge snapped.

Mouse gave him a look and continued. "She wants to set up for five different videos. She's got a list of names here for male actors and male models… oh, she wants one of the videos to be Apocalyptic. The videos would have simulated sex."

"Have we heard that one?" Jax asked.

"No," Val snapped out.

"There are a LOT you haven't heard," Kes told him. "But that one is… well, we'll play it."

"She wants more firebreath from Val," Mouse snorted. "She's not even doing it now you dumb cow," she muttered to herself. "She really doesn't pay attention to jackshit does she? She's decided it would be better for your publicity to be seen publicly with men, another list here that you can choose from."

"Fuck her," Kozik scowled.

"There's a post it that says you girls need to start using your sex appeal to your benefit."

"They already do, trust me," Juice said. Mouse smiled at him. "All five of you, and you ain't part of the damned band."

"Oh, look here, I didn't know they were still doing this, but she wants to set up where you guys dance with the Pussycat Dolls, you know prancing around in your barely  
theres. And looks like she's arranging a photoshoot… Val her notes here says you'll carry a whip, I never knew Mags was such a sexually focused individual."

"Naked pictures, naked videos, dominatrix with a whip, fake boyfriends, dancing in our underwear," Val was muttering.

"This is the worst she's ever been." Sam stated.

"You know why," Toni spat. "It's because Viv's gone."

Kes was nodding. "Viv is gone, so now Mags thinks she'll have free reign over us and our careers."

"Yeah, looks like she has some plans for some touring. Both in country and out of country." Vinnie was still reading over Mouse's shoulder.

"Well, when we send this back, I have the perfect response for her." Toni snarled. "We're going to write four words. Fuck no, you're fired."

"We'll still need management though, because yeah, she's done." Kes was nodding.

"Who do Chaos Party use?" Sam asked curiously.

"I'm not sure." Val said.

"If we shared management, it would be possible they'd let us collaborate. We need a dude in order to perform Sweet Things." Sam suggested.

"There are a few songs where having a guy sing would be a bonus." Val agreed.

"And they have the same issues," Toni added. "Remember they had a song, and wanted Val to sing on it, and Mags said no."

"Without even fucking checking!" Kes sneered.

"I could email the guys, get the info, and ask them what they think of their representation." Mouse offered, and all the girls nodded.

Val turned to Jax, "Sorry I disrupted your work."

He kissed her. "How's your hand? I think you may be keeping Chibs busier than me with all the patching up he does on you," he teased her.

"It's fine. It's already stopped bleeding. It was basically a big paper cut."

Sam had her face into the crook of Happy's neck, as he held her, rubbing his hand up and down her back.

"You better," he murmured.

"Yeah," she whispered. "It still burns me up that she takes advantage of the fact Viv is gone to try to get that shit through."

"Doesn't have your best interests in mind," he told her.

"I don't think she ever has. I'm sorry I was going for my gun. I just wanted to put a few bullets into the damned thing."

Happy chuckled, kissing her forehead. "My little firecracker."

"All yours," she said softly. She loved breathing in the scent of him. It was a mix of his soap, car engine, cigarettes, and leather. It was uniquely Happy, and it made her heart flutter every time she smelled it. Without even thinking about it she said, "I love you." She froze as soon as she said it. Happy was very still.

He pulled slightly away from her so he could stare into her eyes. "I know I'm not a soft man," he murmured, "and I don't say a lot of pretty words."

"You don't have to," she promised.

"I love you too, Sam," he told her holding her face, his fingers in her hair. "I think I have since you stepped off that goddamned bus. I knew you were mine then, but I think I  
fell in love then too."

Sam put her forehead to hers, "Even though I'm crazy? I let fat squirrels scare me, I'm a bit clumsy. And my sisters and I are always up to trouble?"

"Just things that make me love you more."

98989898989

Gemma had managed to get all of the girls, including Donna and Vinnie, and excluding Val, into the office. She didn't beat around the bush. "Abel's going to be getting out of the hospital soon. The nursery is already set up at Jax's house, but I'd like to add a few more pictures to his room, and we should throw a baby shower for Val. Also, does anyone know when Val's getting her crow?"

Vinnie cleared her throat, "Is it safe for her to get one while pregnant?"

"We researched it. You have to make sure the artist keeps his equipment clean and runs it through the autoclave. They also need to have all new needles and new ink, still in  
their original packaging, and make sure the area is clean and taken care of," Sam recited.

"Well, I know that Happy is meticulous, so none of that should be a problem." Gemma was nodding. "We'll have to throw a big party for that. Anytime a girl goes to Old Lady  
status, it's big. Now, as for the baby shower, let's plan…"

9898989

Gemma hadn't been sure she was going to tell Jax about the shower, but she decided to. She wanted him to bring Val to the house, and then he could leave. She didn't want the men there for that party. They would have another party once Abel came home and then all of the family, and close friends, would be invited.

They'd done invitations for the baby shower, and they'd made sure to include the baby was already there, so no one got confused. In addition to the seven that were planning, they sent several invites out to friends of Val's, like Miranda, a few of the Crow-eaters that were sweet and had made friends with the girls. Especially after their retribution they'd gotten for Vinnie. That had endeared them to many. They even sent an invite to Stacy.

Fortunately, Jax seemed to understand that this was some type of female thing, and that Gemma was trying to let Val experience everything a new mother would experience. His mom was great. Jax was with someone his mother not only approved of, but loved as well. Jax hadn't thought she'd ever approve of a woman he chose. He'd never known how awesome it was.

A few days before the shower, Jax had to go on an overnight run. He'd been worried that it would upset Val, but she didn't even blink. All she'd said was to send her more pictures. He felt warm knowing she was starting to trust him. There was no way Jax would ever break that trust, or hurt her. Oh he knew they'd fight, it was inevitable, but he'd never knowingly hurt her. Happy and Opie were going with them, and they set out after kissing their women goodbye.

He called her that night, telling her he loved her and he missed her. She told him she'd gone up to see Abel, which pleased him, but that she hadn't run into Tara. "I just told him that Daddy had to go on a run, but would be back tomorrow, and come give him love."

"Thanks, Darlin'," he murmured.

"You sound tired. Go to bed, Babe. I don't want you riding tired tomorrow."

"Well, when I get home we should have a nap," he made the word suggestive, and she giggled.

"You know I love napping with you." She responded, and he hung up chuckling.

Val decided to go to bed, she actually was very tired. She'd been asleep for maybe an hour or an hour and a half when her phone made the roadrunner 'beepbeep' noise telling her she had a text. Val opened the text and immediately wanted to be sick. It was a picture. Someone sent her a picture of Jax having sex with some blonde.

(Song: Mentions of Apocalypitc- Halestorm, Sweet Things- The Pretty Reckless.)


	20. Chapter 19

Disclaimer: I own nothing but my soul and a shih tzu.

98989898989

Val sat on the bed, back against the wall and stared at the picture on her phone. For a few moments she'd thought she was going to be sick, but she was better now. She sent a text to all four of her sisters, 'I need you'. Then she called Gemma.

The older woman's voice was sleepy when she answered, and Val felt guilty for waking her. "Gemma?" she said hesitantly.

"Val, Baby Girl, it that you?"

"I'm sorry for bothering you, Gemma, but I need you."

"Are you feeling alright?" Gemma asked, urgency in her voice.

"I received a text a few minutes ago."

"Is it threatening?'

Val thought about that question. "In a way, I think yes it is…. It's a picture of Jax fucking some blonde woman."

"I'll be there in five minutes, Val," Gemma promised and hung up. She dressed and stormed out of the house, dialing her son's phone as she did. As soon as it was answered, she started speaking. "Get your ass back here now!"

"Ma? What the fuck is going on?" Jax jerked awake at the tone of her voice.

"I'll tell you what's going on, someone just sent a picture text to your pregnant girlfriend's phone. The pregnant girlfriend who's been traumatized recently. It was a picture of you… fucking another woman," Gemma snapped.

"What?" Jax almost shouted. "That's impossible, you can ask the guys, we got here and had a beer with Uncle Jury, and then went to bed. Sure, we got offers, and we all turned them down!" Jax had jumped up and started dressing. Happy and Opie were in the same room with him, the three men sharing a four person dorm. As they heard his side of the conversation, they too began to get dressed. "I haven't fucked anyone but Val in months."

"I'm on my way to the Clubhouse," Gemma told him, believing her son, and hoping Val would believe him too.

"I'm on my way, Ma. Tell her I love her."

Val's sisters didn't bother knocking, they just entered the room. She wouldn't have texted if she didn't want them to just come in. Kes and Mouse sat on the edge of the bed. Sam crawled up onto the bed and sat right up against her sister, and Toni did the same on the other side. Kozik, Sledge, and Juice were half asleep, but if something was happening they were going to make sure all the girls were okay. No one spoke.

"I talked to Jax a few hours ago," Val finally said. "And then I went to bed. About ten minutes ago my text messaging went off alerting me to a new text. So I opened it and this is what I saw." She passed around the phone.

"That cheating son of a bitch! I can't believe he'd do this to you…" Sam began.

"He didn't," Val interrupted her sister's tirade. "I mean, yes, at one point he obviously did her, but he didn't cheat on me."

Kozik was looking closely at the photo, and Kes was going to give him a hard time, but the look on his face said he was figuring something out. "This is the Tacoma Chapter's Clubhouse."

Val nodded. Gemma appeared in the door and moved over to sit next to Toni. "It took me a moment. I felt sick when I opened it, which I think is what whoever sent this to me wanted. Make me so emotional that I don't pay attention to details. But I figured, if I was going to cut Jax's dick off, I should make sure first." The guys winced, and Gemma patted her knee. "And that's when I saw the Tacoma Charter."

"They didn't go to Tacoma," Gemma murmured. "They went to Nevada."

Val nodded at her. "That's right. Which means someone wants me to think Jax is cheating, when he's not."

Gemma felt instant relief, and for a moment sort of felt bad for calling Jax, but that ended quickly. If someone sent this to Val, then he needed to be present to deal with it. Gemma took another look at the picture. Where had she seen this before? You'd think she'd recognize it since it wasn't too often a mother saw pictures of her son boffing some woman. "Jax is on his way home," she told Val. "He said he loves you."

Val gave a short smile. "You didn't have to call him Gemma. I trusted him, even past all of the hurt when I saw it, I knew there was something not right. He promised me."

"If someone is sending something like this to you," Kozik started, "Then Jax definitely needs to be here. And we need to find out who it is that sent it."

"But, we know who it is, don't we?" Sam asked lightly. Now that she looked at the picture, she could tell differences. "His hair is shorter in this photo. And I think he's missing a tattoo."

"No scruff on his face." Jax had a neatly trimmed beard and mustache, more of a goatee really, but in the photo, he'd been clean shaven. Val looked at Juice and Mouse. "I know that whoever sent this to me probably used a burner phone, but do you think you could try to tell where it originated, and then where it travelled?"

"We can try," Juice said, and looked to see Mouse biting her lip. "I can't make promises, but we'll try."

The roadrunner beep went off again, and Juice handed the phone back to Val. It was the same number that the picture came from. This time it was a message. 'Wonder who he's imagining that blonde is? Or maybe it's when he's with you he pictures someone else'.

Val knew it was taunting, but it still brought tears to her eyes. "I know it's not true, but whoever this is knows directly where to hit."

"Sam," Sledge was looking at the girl holding Val. "You said we knew who it was."

"It's obvious it's that doctor bitch." Sam sneered. "Val told the woman at the hospital that she trusted Jax on runs. And she could easily get Val's phone number now that she's also on the list of emergency contacts. Highly unethical, but then, we think she has people spy to see when Jax shows up too."

"Oh my God," Gemma looked startled. "I think Sam is right. When Tara first came back to town she was being stalked by some ATF guy. I think she expected Jax to take care  
of it for her. But he kept his distance. Still the agent didn't know that. The agent destroyed Abel's room, pissed in there, and left that picture on the wall. He also sent it to Tara."

Val really didn't think they'd been talking that long when everyone heard the door to the Clubhouse open, and running footsteps. Jax appeared in the doorway. "Is anyone invited to this party, or do I need an invitation?"

Sam scooted over, "Here, I made some room for you." She lit up when she saw Happy behind Jax.

Jax crawled up on the bed, and he was scared. Would she let him hold her? Why was she talking to everyone, was she planning on leaving him?

But Val didn't hesitate, and as soon as he was settled, she leaned into him for affection. Happy joined everyone on the bed, and pulled Sam into his lap.

"My mom told me you got a picture," he started, not knowing how to deny this and make her believe him.

Val nodded. "Yeah. It made me sick at first, but you promised me, so I took a little bit of time to look at it."

He could imagine how lovely that had been. His mother handed him the phone. Wait, Jax thought, I know this picture. "This…"

"Is the picture Kohn sent to Tara," his mother finished.

"You're not in Nevada in that photo," Val murmured. She was so tired, and resting against him made her feel so much better.

"Your hair is different, you don't have a beard. I apologize for thinking I might have to kill you for a moment," Sam stated. "Show him the other message, Val."

Val nodded. "We got this just about ten minutes ago."

Jax read the text several times. Then in a cold voice asked, "How did she get a hold of Val's phone number?"

Mouse answered him. "We think she probably got it out of the computer at the hospital. You all gave the hospital Val's number as one of Abel's emergency contacts. Juice and I are going to see what we can track, but don't hold out hope. Burner phones are called that for a reason."

Everyone left shortly after that, leaving Jax and Val alone. She still leaned up against him, while he just played with a lock of her hair.

"Thank you for trusting me," he murmured.

"Thank you for coming home," she replied. "But you didn't have to. We could have talked on the phone."

"No, Ma was right, I need to be here to deal with this shit." She could hear his voice turning to ice. "It was bad enough when she was just making spiteful comments. This could have caused serious issues. Problems between us, it could have made you ill. Too much stress, and something could happen to you, or to our baby, or to both of you."

"I know," she whispered. "She wants you so bad, she doesn't care who she hurts."

"Well tough shit, she can't have me. Too far, she's pushed this too far."

"Jax," she began, and sat up so she could look in his eyes. So many emotions were flickering in those blue eyes. "I hope this doesn't change how you see me, but I don't want to just throw her out of town, or even kill her. I want to destroy her."

"Darlin', I'd think you'd know by now that your ruthlessness is part of what draws me to you. You're so sweet, but when you get pushed too far, you take care of business. It makes me worry less. Everyone knows you're my perfect match."

Val leaned into him again, laying her head on his chest. "You really think so?"

"I know so. You were made for me, Valeria." Jax dropped a kiss on the top of her head. "Now let's actually get to sleep, because I'm tired, and I know you're tired, and I'll bet Baby is tired."

Val nodded, and moved, then the both of them were cuddling in bed. Jax held her to him, spooned behind her, his hand resting on her belly. She drifted off to sleep quickly, but Jax just kept thinking. He hadn't been lying. He did think she was made for him. She was perfection, even in her imperfections. Sometimes soft and vulnerable, giving him the opportunity to take care of her. Sometimes fierce and protective, like when she and her sisters went after that fucking hang around, or how she didn't wait for someone to save her, she'd found a makeshift weapon, and started saving herself. Jax knew if any of his Brothers could hear him now, he'd get ribbed about turning into a chick, but it was how he felt.

Even when they were kids, and he'd asked Tara to be his Old Lady, those feelings hadn't come close to what he felt now. And now she was fucking with his family. By sending that picture and that text to Val, she had made herself enemy number one. Val was mother to Abel, they had a little one on the way, and she was willing to be branded to let the world know she was his. Maybe he should choose a new tattoo, and let the world know he was hers? Not like the other guys didn't have their wives names, initials, or nicknames somewhere on their body. And she would be his wife. He already had the ring.

Thinking of the ring, and how he needed to figure out a way to ask her, Jax finally fell asleep.

989898989

"That's ingenious Mouse," Jax woke up to hear Val on the phone.

All he could think was, 'is she actually talking to one of her sisters that is just down the hall?' he shook his head chuckling. Val heard him and looked over with a smile. She and her sister spent a few more minutes talking, and then she hung up the phone.

"Good morning," she crawled over and leaned over him to give him a kiss.

Jax snaked a hand out and pulled her down into his body, causing her to giggle. "It could be a very good morning." Then he kissed her, and it didn't take long to get lost in each other.

Later, after their shower, and as Val was making some breakfast, Jax decided to set up getting her to his house for the shower the next day. "Tomorrow, after visiting Abel, you wanna go check out our house?"

She stilled and turned to look over her shoulder. She was nodding. "I'd really like that, Jax."

A few more stragglers made it in to sit down, and Val started cooking for them as well.

"Ya don' need to make us breakfast, Lass," Chibs told her. "No' that we mind at all, but we don' expect it from ya."

"It's fine. I enjoy cooking."

It must have been then that Chibbs realized that Jax was back from the run. "What the hell are you doin' home, Jackie Boy?"

Jax and Val shared a look. "Ma called me last night. We had a situation come up, so we came home."

"What situation," Tig asked as he and Vinnie entered the room. Vinnie kissed him on the cheek and headed over to help Val cook.

"Last night I received some unpleasant texts," Val shared. She took her phone out of her pocket and showed Vinnie the two texts she had received the previous evening.

Vinnie looked at the photos and was horrified, "Oh my God, I can't imagine seeing these if Tig were out on a run. I mean, I know it's probably what he does, but seeing it?"

She walked over and handed the phone to Tig, who was still working out what she'd said to Val. "Jesus Christ," he muttered seeing the picture, then the cruel text. This is what Vinnie thought he did when he went on runs. Perhaps at one point she'd been right, but not since she walked into his life at the first SAMCRO party she'd ever been to. He'd seen her and had not been able to take his eyes off of her since. But she didn't know that, and Tig, not the sanest or best at explaining things like this, didn't know how to tell her.

Vinnie had been staying with Tig ever since her attack, but he was thinking, maybe it was time to see if she would live with him on a permanent basis. He could at least ask. Tig thought the time was also coming up when he'd ask her to wear his crow. Would she want that? He was worried that one day she would wake up and think, God he's old. That wouldn't stop him from asking… for any of it. He wanted everyone to know that she was HIS.

"It was that doctor, wasn't it?" Vinnie asked Val.

Val shrugged. "I think so, but it's a burner phone, so not sure. However, it is a photo that was sent to Tara when she first came back, from her ex. Mouse is going to try to determine where the photo originated. Like trace it back from device to device. She's not sure if she will be able to, but she wants to try."

Vinnie was thinking. Tig had been so sweet to let her stay with him while she got better, but it was probably time for her to go home. She was far too attached to her Tig, and that was the point, he wasn't her Tig. At this point she didn't even know if she'd be able to see him sometimes. She thought that might hurt more than never seeing him. And she knew, that staying in his room was standing in the way of his entertainment. Vinnie knew she wasn't that entertaining anymore. She just hadn't been ready. He was sweet. He never pushed, he never made her feel closed in. her heart ached at the thought of distancing herself, but she was a big girl now, and she'd known what she was signing up for. Now it was just time for her exit.

"So, you all are going to the festival next weekend, right?" She asked Val.

"Yep, we leave next Thursday."

"Would you mind if I tagged along?" she asked.

Val looked at her. Vinnie's voice had sounded funny, but she wouldn't look at Val. Oh, Vinnie, what are you doing? The blonde thought. "You want to come to the next festival?" she made sure her voice could be heard.

"Yeah, if you don't mind," Vinnie was nodding.

"That's fine with us, I don't even have to ask the other girls. I know they'll be excited."

"Cool," Vinnie smiled. "I'm going to go shower." Then she abruptly left the room.

Vinnie got into the shower and her tears came. She really couldn't help the sobs that were escaping. She hoped she'd remembered to lock the door. Vinnie heard a noise, and arms wrapped around her comfortingly. It was Tig, and he'd gotten into the shower with her, fully clothed.

"What's wrong? The confusion in his voice was thick.

"I'm just emotional," she told him. "Being here has been great, and you've been so good to me, but it's time I go back to my apartment, and back to life. It's time I let you have your life back."

Tig held her tighter. "What are you talking about? My life is great."

"Tig," she sighed. "Me being in your room every night is giving you no privacy whatsoever."

Tig was thinking this was one of those crazy woman-thinking things that he was no good at. How was he going to handle this without fucking it up completely? Not like he could drag one of the girls in here to help him. Okay, he would try looking at the clues. She talked about going to their concert the next weekend, now she was talking about  
moving back to the apartment, and that she was messing up his private time… Tig blinked. Did she think he didn't want her there? Did she still think that he was fucking other girls? She'd been crying. "Vinnie, I want you to lean back and look at me," he used a stern tone.

She followed his order, looking up into his amazing blue eyes.

"I haven't fucked anyone besides you, since I met you," he told her plainly. "I don't want you to go back to that apartment, because I've been trying to figure out how to tell you I want you with me all the time, like living with me. I know what I was like before. But that was before you. I worry about asking you for these things because I'm so much older. I don't want you to live anywhere else, I don't want to fuck other women, and I don't want you to go to some festival where there are tons of men, without me to be with you." Tig hoped that got his point across. He thought he might have repeated himself. 


	21. Chapter 20

Disclaimer: I own nothing but my soul and a shih tzu.

98988

Vinnie stared up at Tig in awe. He wanted her to stay with him. He wanted them to really have a relationship. "I can't say I haven't been with anyone else," she whispered.

"Yes you can," he stressed. "You didn't choose that. Unless there were other men that you CHOSE to fuck."

She shook her head. "I haven't been with anyone else, but you. I don't want to go back to my apartment. I want to be with you as much as possible, and live with you. I trust you, if that's what you tell me you feel. You can ask me anything, anytime, because I don't consider age an issue. I don't want you to fuck anyone else, and I want you there with me at the festival." Vinnie's voice was trembling.

"Then you'll move in with me?" he asked. "Not here. I have a house, but it always seems so empty. We'll live at my house, but we can stay here sometimes too."

Vinnie was looking up at him with sparkling dark eyes, then she was smiling, and then she was kissing him, her naked body pressed against his clothed one. It was the first time she'd kissed him since the assault. He kissed her still, soft, short kisses, but she hadn't started anything. And she wanted to. "Tig," she whispered, running her hands down his chest to his pants. "Take off your clothes," she ordered, and her hands began to work on his pants.

He wanted her so damned bad, he didn't argue. He'd stop if she said stop, but for now Tig was going to take what he could get.

989898989

Jax and Val headed to the hospital, Jax catching Val's hand in his as they walked inside the large building. He kept giving her these looks, and smirks, and it kept making her giggle. Jax liked hearing her giggle, so he kept doing it. He dropped her hand and wrapped his arm around her waist, and she leaned into him, every once in a while he would wiggle his fingers, making her twitch and giggle again. It was turning into a pretty damned good day, and they were taking advantage of it. They rarely had an opportunity to just be and play. Since they'd met, everything had been a whirlwind of constantly living on the edge.

Val looked over and he was smirking at her again. It was the smirk that said 'I know what color your panties are'. He did, because he'd helped her put them on. Not that she'd needed the help, he just used any excuse to touch her. She was feeling a lot more secure with him. Val had been telling the truth when she'd told him he hadn't had to come home the night before, but that he had meant everything to her. It hadn't been hard to see his fear when he'd walked into that room full of, well, everyone, but he had, and he'd come straight to her. Now he was looking at her with that smile, and occasionally tickling her side, and she couldn't help but be happy.

They arrived at NICU, and found that Abel was out of the toaster. Which meant he'd be able to go home in the next day or two. Val wanted to take him with them to the festival, but she would have to talk to his doctor first. She didn't want to hurt him in any way. He was HER baby. She held him first, and it felt so right. He looked up at her, and she knew he wasn't really looking at her, all he really saw was a blonde blob. But he was content and didn't cry.

"Think she's gonna show," Jax murmured.

"I think she'll show within the next sixty seconds."

Jax kissed Val lightly, and looked down on his little man. Val looked natural with the baby in her arms.

"Hello, Jax," Tara's voice came from the doorway, and she'd made it sound warm and loving. Then she saw Val, and her smile went away. She looked surprised instead. "Oh, I didn't know you'd be bringing your friend with you."

Yeah, I'll bet you didn't, Jax and Val both thought. "Don't know why you'd think that," Jax shrugged. "She's gonna be Abel's Mama," he watched as Tara grimaced. "I also should let you know that the crow on your back. If you want to cover it up, black it out or leave it be, it's fine whatever. Val's my Old Lady now, and she'll be taking my crow."

Jax was startled to see the pure fury sweep through Tara's eyes at his statement. Holy shit, he thought, I think she's lost her fucking mind or something. He would need to be very careful to keep her away from Val.

"Here," Val said, handing off Abel to Jax. "I'm going to go ask Abel's doctor a few questions."

Jax leaned down kissing her lightly, and then watched her walk out the door. Abel gave a little squeak, and Jax grinned. "Mama will be back, Little Man."

"Is this some kind of fucking joke," Tara hissed. "I'm your Old Lady. I wear your crow, and have since High School."

"Tara," he said, his voice normal despite her hostile tones. "You stopped being my Old Lady the minute you left me. You wanted out, you got out. I hope you didn't expect me to just sit around and wait for you to come back. I moved on. Gotta admit, it was mostly just fucking who ever I wanted to, but when Val and her sisters showed up, that was it for me. I was done. She's the only woman I've noticed since. And I am surprisingly, very happy with that. The amazing part is, that no matter how I fucked up in the past, she leaves it there, in the past. She chose me, and I'm a lucky son of a bitch for it. Now, for old times' sake, when we were friends, I'd really like you to accept, that's not MY crow anymore. It's changed since then. I've changed since then, and I'm sure you've changed. Val, she's my present and my future, and nothing's going to change it."

She gave a derisive laugh, "You think that now, but you're wrong. She'll find out who and what you are and leave you blowing in the wind. Just like I did. She'll get herself knocked up, and realize, she can't have a baby with Jax. And she'll terminate the pregnancy… just like I did."

Jax felt like he'd been stabbed. Her words were cold, cruel, and savage. "You were pregnant when you left?"

"Sure was," she said flippantly, "But I know I couldn't have it. You running around with that fucking Motorcycle Club, spending all that time with your mother. You not willing to give up anything for me. I left town, and had an abortion, and then my life went on."

"I think it's time for you to leave this room, Dr. Knowles," Val's stony voice came from behind Tara.

"You gonna make me you little whore?" Tara spit.

"She won't, but I will."

Tara spun quickly, her heart in her throat and saw Dr. Namid, her boss in the doorway with Jax's little girlfriend. "Dr. Namid, let me explain…"

She was cut off as he held his hand up. "I've heard enough for right now. I have business to attend to, but right now I want you to go home. Be back here at ten am. We will talk then." He casually dismissed her, and made his way to Jax and Abel, Val right there with him.

Tara burned with anger and embarrassment. But she quickly rushed out the door, and made her way out of the hospital.

Val moved to Jax, "Are you okay, Babe?" she whispered. She couldn't believe the things that woman had just told him. If she had wanted to terminate the pregnancy, fine, it was her right, but she could have let him know, and she didn't have to tell him this way.

"I don't know," he told her hoarsely, looking down into her sad eyes.

His eyes were filled with anguish. So she hugged him and Abel to her, making sure not to squish the Little Man. "Dr. Namid, why don't you tell Jax what you were telling me?"

"Certainly," he gave Jax a warm smile. Dr. Namid had to admit to himself that Jax Teller had certainly surprised him when it came to putting in time with his son. He hadn't expected that from the biker, or the bikers really. Jax wasn't the only one to visit. They'd seen a lot of those SAMCRO kuttes in the hospital since the baby was born. "I was just telling Valeria, that we should be releasing Abel on Friday."

Jax blinked in surprise. Finally? "Really?" it was almost like it was perfect timing. The baby shower was the next day, which was Thursday, and the next day they could bring him home.

"Definitely, he's a fighter, your son. Also, Val was asking if it would be a problem to take Abel with you next weekend. She informed me that she and her sisters have a band that plays at these things. I gave her a list of things, mainly keep him out of the sun, keep him warm, but not too warm, and make sure to keep to his feeding schedule."

"I see babies at these things all the time, even newborns," Val stated, "but with Abel just coming out of the incubator, I wanted to make sure it was safe."

"Just follow that list, and I think everything will fine with you taking him." The doctor told them, and said his goodbyes.

Once it was just Val and Jax in the room, Val moved to him. "Come on, let's put Abel back in his bassinet, and then you promised to show me your house."

He simply nodded, and kissed Abel, before handing him to Val. Jax watched as she too kissed the baby and gently set him in his bassinet. Then they headed out. Gone was the playful banter and tickling. Jax simply felt numb. Val took the keys to the car from him, and they headed to his house, him giving her directions in a monotone voice. It didn't take long to get there, and then they went inside. They stopped in the living room, and Val moved to him taking him in her arms again.

"I'm so sorry, Jax," she murmured.

"She just didn't even fucking care," he said. "She wanted to leave, and didn't want any hassles following her. That's all it was. A problem. It interfered with her life. And fine, it's a suck ass decision, but she didn't even tell me. Didn't call, didn't write; didn't even leave a two line note for fuck's sake."

"It was wrong." Val agreed. "The choice to terminate was hers, but she should have let you know. She didn't because she was a coward, and spiteful. Before she left you were in a committed, loving relationship. That doesn't mean you could handle raising a child, but… she should have told you."

"You told me," he whispered.

She grimaced. "Well, not quite, Sam told you before Andrew could. But I was going to tell you the very next day. For me it was a simple choice though. I would never get an abortion. I don't hold it against women who do. Shit I saw so much hell in the system, that maybe it would be better for some to do it. But I couldn't. Especially since it was your baby. Even if you had told me you didn't want it. Even if you told me to terminate, I wouldn't have." Val reached out and grabbed his hands, placing them on her still flat belly. "Don't stay in the past with what ifs. That's what she wants. It's what she's aiming for. We need you here with us, in the now. Where we have Abel coming home soon, and this one on the way."

His hands rubbed slowly back and forth on her belly, his eyes watching.

"Soon we'll be able to see if our baby is a boy or a girl, and we can start planning. The nursery, picking names… this right here is what we have to hold onto, Jax. You helped me see that. It's called the past because it's already gone, there's no going back to change anything, we just keep moving forward." Val wrapped her arms around his neck, and hugged him to her tightly. "I'm here for you. Here for anything you might ever need. I hope you know that."

"I do," he murmured into her neck. "I do know that. I love you so much, Val."

"I love you too."

"Come on, let me show you the rest of the house. It has four bedrooms, three bathrooms, and a finished attic space."

"Wow, it didn't look that big from the front outside."

He gave her a half smile. "No it doesn't. The house is more long than it is wide." He took her into Abel's nursery.

"This is lovely," she murmured.

"Ma helped a lot."

"Gemma would, she's great."

"You know, you're the first woman I've been with that she's approved of. Hell she loves you. And she loves spending time with you, the other girls, Vinnie and Donna. And wow, did you all help change that relationship. Donna was always intimidated by my mom, and her expectations."

Val grinned. "Your mom is tough, but honestly, she just wants what's best. When Donna realized that Gemma wasn't attacking her, but trying to help in her own bizarre way, their relationship twisted. I think Donna didn't have a great relationship with her own mother."

"You'd be right on that," he told her with a snort, as he showed her the two unused bedrooms. "Her mom is a cold blooded bitch. She controlled the house."

"Well, that explains it then. Gemma is an aggressive, confident woman, but maybe Donna visualized aggressive and confident to be bad things."

They stepped into the master bedroom, and Val let out a sound of appreciation.

"I've been working hard in here. Knowing we were going to live here, me and a few of the other Sons have been coming over and working on some updating and remodeling."

"It's beautiful. I love it. I can't wait to live here with you and Abel."

"Just a few more days. We'll have to come back tomorrow during the daylight. I want to show you the backyard, but you won't see it great at this time."

"Sounds good to me!

Jax put his arm around her shoulders. "Come on, let's go get some food. I'm starving."

"We're starving too,"


	22. Chapter 22

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

989898989

Val looked at Tara across from Abel's bassinet, her fists clenched. "Why are you even in here?"

Tara looked at her with scorn. "I have more right to be here than you do. How long have you been with Jax? A few weeks, a month, maybe two? I've been here since Abel was born. I helped him survive."

"So you want Abel?" Val asked.

"I want them both. How old are you, Val? Jax and I, we're the same age, we have more in common. We've always had more in common. We grew up together, went to high school together. He was my first. Sure, he went to others, and I hated it, but he always came back. And he always will. You? You're still just a kid. What? Seven years younger than Jax? How long do you think it will be before he gets sick of the things you like? And seriously, do you really think he's going to stick around watching men paw at you at your concerts? Sons don't allow their Old Ladies to be with other men. You just watch, you'll set up a time to get your crow, and he'll change it. He'll have some good excuse ready, and he'll put it off."

"You're wrong. Jax loves me. I love Jax, and we're only going to be together. No one else."

"Didn't your boyfriend Ash say that to you too?" there was a mean twist to Tara's lips.

"The only reason he's not pitching a fit about you being pregnant is because you said you'd take care of Abel. Now he's got a nice little babysitter to take care of his kids while he goes and parties."

"You're wrong."

"I don't think you quite believe that," Tara grinned. "Also, have you ever wondered how exactly are you supposed to be a good mother when your own gave you away? Tried to sell you, didn't she?"

"How do you know that?" Val whispered.

"Public record sweetie. Dear old mom, tried to see her four year old for drugs. Really, you got lucky it was a cop she was selling you to. That's what you've been taught to be. Or Sam's mom, she was a prostitute, kept the kid for a few years, and got tired of her, dumped her. Toni, her mom beat her. Hell, she beat Toni's sister so bad the girl died."

"Stop it."

"Little Kestrel. Her parents couldn't feed her, they kept her twin brother though. And we come to Mouse."

"Stop it!"

"Michelle's own father…." Tara shook her head. "Her mother didn't even care that he was molesting his daughter."

"Stop it!"

"But, Val, I have a surprise for you." Tara moved to the side, and a tall, heavyset man approached. "Daniel, or, wait, you prefer Daddy Daniel don't you?"

"Stop it, no, stop it, no!"

"Why don't you come sit on Daddy Daniel's lap pretty little Val. When she sits on Daddy's lap, Valli always Wins."

"No," Val shrieked, shooting up from the position she'd been in. "No," she shrieked.

"Val, baby," Jax tried to talk to her. She was shaking, and screaming, and when he tried to touch her she jumped away from him. That stabbed him in his gut. "Val!" he tried saying louder.

She was hyperventilating, but in the dim light she could see that Tara and Daddy Daniel were gone. "Where'd they go? Where'd they go?" she cried. "They were here. They were here and she wanted Abel… she knew everything. She brought him," she was just babbling.

"Baby," Jax was scared to get closer to her, "But he slowly approached, and she readily moved into his arms, sobbing. "She's lying, she has to be lying, lying…"

He held her to him tightly. "It's okay, Baby."

"No…"

There was a knock on his door, and he said enter. It was Sam. "I heard her scream."

"I don't know what's wrong. She keeps talking about a 'she'."

Sam's heart broke looking at the anguish in Jax's eyes. "Let me talk to her." She said softly. "You stay right there." Happy stood in the doorway.

Sam sat on the edge of the bed, and stroked her hand down Val's hair. "Val tell me about your dream. The way we used to when we were kids. We had a bad dream, and then we old each other all about it. Every night, 'member? We took turns going first. And then, when we were done, it was over. Bad dream over."

"She wants Abel and she wants Jax," Val wept within Jax's arms. "She said he would be just like Ash, say one thing do another. I told her she was WRONG. She said she'd been with him forever, and I'd only been around for a few months, and how Jax is older than me, and do I really think he finds the same stuff interesting. That he'd get tired of it eventually. That he'd get tired of men at the concerts and that he'd always go back to her, and that the only reason he didn't care about me being pregnant is because I'd be a babysitter to Abel and this baby while he went out partying. And I told her she was wrong, but she just kept going, she knew Sam, she KNEW how we all ended up in the Home. She said it was all Public Record. She said what kind of mom did I think I'd be… she said I'd be just like my mom, and yours, and Toni's and Kes's and Mouse's… and she had Daddy Daniel with her. He was WITH her, and he kept saying to come sit on his lap, that Valli always wins when she sits on Daddy Daniel's lap…." The sobs coming from her were shaking her whole body now.

Sam too was crying. "Who is she? Tara?"

"Yes," she keened.

"Well, she's full of shit, isn't she?" Sam said. "She can't have Jax or Abel. They're YOURS."

"She said that he'd change his mind, and he wouldn't go through with me getting the crow."

"She doesn't know jack shit," Sam stated.

Jax and Happy listened. It was strange because Sam was talking as if the dream had really happened, as if Val really had spoken with Tara. It just gave them more insight into the girls' thoughts.

"Do YOU think Jax doesn't love you?" Sam asked Val bluntly.

"He lo-loves me," Val said. "I know he loves me. I TOLD her."

"And do YOU think he's going to back out of making you his Old Lady?"

"No."

"And do you honestly believe that he would leave you at home to babysit while he goes out and parties? Please, you're the rockstar, he's just in an MC."

Val gave a chuckle and a hiccup at the same time.

"As for shit in common, hello, of course there are some things you don't have in common. You don't want to have everything in common, you have to keep him guessing sometimes. But you have the most important things in common. Tell me what those are," Sam demanded.

"The Club, we both love the Club."

"And?"

"Gemma, we both love Gemma. And Abel, we both love Abel. We both prefer Motorcycles to cars," Val was just talking now, Sam not having to prod her. Jax was surprised about the Motorcycle versus cars. He hadn't known that. "Music, we both seem to like a lot of the same music. Protecting people we think of as ours… ink, we both like ink. And I like to think I'm smart, and he's super smart."

"So what does a few years difference matter?"

"Nothing." Val's tears had stopped and she was calming.

"As for growing up together, puh-leese, we grew up with Chuckie Martin, you ain't marrying him are you? Cuz I sure as hell ain't marrying him."

"She knew about my mom, our moms."

Sam met Jax's eyes, as if saying here is the real problem. "Well, I don't think they're public record, so she's sneaky bitch, isn't she?"

"What if I'm like them?"

"Baby, being a mama ain't genetic. You're going to rock it. We both will. Because we'll do everything but be like them. I heard someone say once, it ain't how you start, it's how you finish. Our start, from birth til we turned eight, none of that matters as we become mama's. What makes us is Vivian Dalton, Gemma, Donna, all five of us, who loved each other before we became sisters." Sam took a deep breath, she didn't ever talk about this in front of anyone, including Happy, but her sister needed her. "Yeah, your birth mother sold you, and mine turned tricks and got tired of spending that money on a brat that was no use to her."

Jax ached for both girls. He ached for all five girls because he couldn't imagine the other three were better. He met Happy's eyes and knew that this was the first he'd ever heard either.

"They shouldn't have been allowed to breed, but if they hadn't, we wouldn't be here."

"He was there." Val whispered.

Sam nodded. "Yeah, he's always there though. That will never go away, no matter how old we get. Some people get physical scars, our battle scars are invisible, to everyone else. Ours have a name. and bad dreams. And that fear, that one day he will show up."

Val's eyes met her sisters. "You're scared of that too?"

"Of course I am," she pushed Val a little. "How could I not be? The things that man did, and had the potential to do. When we were little I thought he was the actual Devil. Like the Devil that Christians talk about. But he's not. He's just some man who was so weak he had to hurt kids to make himself feel strong."

"What would I do without you, Sam?"

Sam leaned in and rested her forehead against Val's. "Luckily, we'll never have to find out. Cuz I feel the same about you. Now, I'm going back to bed. You need to do the same, and you need to kiss your man, and apologize for almost giving him a heart attack."

Once Sam and Happy were gone, Val curled into Jax. "I'm sorry."

"You have nothing to be sorry for," he murmured kissing her forehead.

"I don't want you to think I don't trust you. Because I do."

"Val, you have fears, that's okay. You think I don't have fears?"

Val looked up and met his eyes. "What could you possibly be afraid of?"

"That you'll realize you could do a helluva lot better than me. That you'll regret not taking your band farther because you're an instant mother to Abel with another on the way. That you'll stop trusting me."

"First, my band is doing exactly what we want it to do. We just want to play, we don't have to go to fifteen different cities in thirty days to do that. I won't stop trusting you. All I ask is if you decide you want to be with someone else, tell me before you do it."

"That's never gonna happen," he chuckled.

"And as for doing better, you're the best. To me, you're the best. You're all I want. Well you and Abel."

"I'm sorry Tara has caused so much stress for you."

"I feel like I don't measure up. She's a doctor, I'm just a girl in a band."

"She's a bitch, and you're MY girl in a band. An Awesome band."

Val reached for him, and he met her lips with his own. "I love you, Jackson."

"I love you too." He promised. "And just so you know, if that bastard ever showed up, he wouldn't be breathing much longer."

Val's eyes filled with tears, and she smiled, "Is it wrong to love you even more for wanting to kill him for me."

He started laughing. "Isn't that sort of how we work?"

"We are sort of awesome at kicking ass."

"Just another thing that makes us perfect for each other."

9898989

Sam and Happy got back into bed, and Happy pulled Sam tightly up against him. "It's not that I don't trust you… the reason that I haven't mentioned my mother."

"Didn't think it was."

"I've never been worried about becoming like her." Sam told him. "Even if you had wanted nothing to do with this baby," his arms tightened around her, "there's no possible way I could end up like her."

"I know."

"But HE is one of my worst nightmares," she whispered. "Knowing that he is still out there. Knowing everything he's done since us, and even before us… I have this waking nightmare sometimes that we're performing, and then people in the crowd move, and there he is. In the crowd with our fans, watching us. And sometimes I wonder if we are how we are because of him and what he did to us."

"Know what you are?" Happy whispered.

She looked up at him.

"Mine." Then he lowered his hand to her belly. "This is ours."

Sam put her hand on his heart. "Mine."

He smiled at her. "I think, right here." He brushed his fingers against the inside of her thigh, but not too far up.

"Right there what?" she murmured.

"That's where I'm gonna put my crow," he whispered.

Sam thought he was teasing, "Oh yeah, well, one day you can put your crow there."

"I was thinking I'd put it there the same night I do Val's crow."

Sam raised her head to look at him. "What?"

"You heard me."

"You don't have to…"

"I know." He told her, holding her chin with two fingers. "I know I don't. but you're mine, and I'm yours, and this is ours. I want you to be my Old Lady."

She looked into his eyes, and all she could do was nod.


	23. Chapter 23

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

The next morning Jax took Val to the house, and he was pleased when he couldn't see anyone's vehicles. He parked the car, and led her to the door. "I think you'll like the back. It's pretty big," he told her.

"I'm sure I'll love it, Jax," Val told him.

He opened the door, and led her in, and as ten women jumped up yelling surprise, Val gave a little shriek. He couldn't help it, but he started laughing.

She was smiling and blushing, and she punched him in the arm. "What's all this?" she said, her voice very surprised. "You all almost made me pee myself!"

Gemma approached and handed Val a champagne flute of sparkling cider. "Thank you for delivering her, Sweetheart, you can go now." She told her son.

"Do I smell food?" he asked, even as his mother shoved him to the door.

"I'll bring some home to you," Val promised.

Jax snuck around his mother and kissed his girl. Which earned hoots and hollers from the women.

Gemma put her arm around Val's shoulders and led her into the living room where they'd set up for this shower. "We just all thought that since you're Abel's Mama, and he's coming home soon, this shower was necessary."

"You guys are the absolute best."

The women ate the food, drank the cider and played baby games. Val was laughing and crying at the same time most of the day. She couldn't believe that not only had Miranda shown up, but Daisy, who had been in Skip's a Hero with Tommy came, and Stacy had showed up.

Since the nursery was pretty much done, Val got a bunch of fun stuff for Abel. Stacy had gotten him a 'My Mommy's A Rockstar' onesie, and Sam had their merchandise company make a tiny DOD onesie. It was possible they would put those online to sell. Gemma had a picture of all of the girls put into a nice frame that matched the frames in Abel's room, and she also had a picture of Jax and Val framed. Val hadn't seen this picture, but it was a really good one, and every time she looked at it she wanted to smile. She could actually see the love for her on Jax's face.

Once the party was over, and guests said goodbye, Val's sisters headed back to the lot, to let Val and Gemma have a little time alone. Gemma helped her put all of the new baby things away in Abel's room, showing her how she'd placed everything.

"If something works better for you though, Baby Girl, then you just change it up. It will not hurt my feelings."

Val shrugged, "I actually think it all works great the way you have it. I would have probably done something similar."

Gemma moved over and grabbed Val's hands. "You will never know how much you've changed our world, you and your sisters. I was worried when I was told you were coming. All I could think was, oh no, another Clubhouse's girls, they're going to be all over my boys." Both Gemma and Val's lips quirked up. "Of course, then I met you all. You got off that bus, and barely looked at the boys, while they looked like Christmas had come early. Instead you've helped with so much… then all I could think was, please girls, jump all over my boys. I feel like I got five daughters when you all came to stay."

"Thank you, Gemma, I don't think you could truly comprehend how much those words mean to me. And what they would mean to my sisters. All of you changed our world a lot more than we did to yours. You gave us a home, a family, love. You all gave us concern. You gave me Jax."

Gemma hugged Val. "Let's go take that food back to the Clubhouse for the boys." Before fully moving away, she kissed Val on the forehead.

They were at an intersection when Gemma noticed the car behind them. "Val, I don't want you to make it obvious, but would you look at the car behind us and tell me if that's who I think it is?"

Val flipped down the visor make-up mirror and pretended to get something out of her eye. "That is Tara. But that is not the car she drove to the lot when she needed her brakes worked on." The doctor had a strange look on her face, and the streets were quiet as it came upon dusk. "I'm going to call Jax." Val made it look as if she was just having a simple conversation with Gemma, but she hit the speed dial on her phone. "Pick up… please pick up," she murmured.

"Come on, Jax," Gemma muttered. "Don't ignore the damned thing now."

"Hey Darlin'." Jax said when he saw Val's name come up on his phone. He and the guys had decided to grill out, and were just waiting for them to get home. "You almost here."

"Just a couple minutes away actually. Jax, your mom and I are a bit… concerned."

"What's wrong?" he asked as a sense of foreboding filled his gut, and he waved the guys off to be quiet. He put his phone on speaker and motioned for the girls to join them.

"We're at a stop light right now, but, Tara is behind us. She has this weird look on her face, and she's in a vehicle I don't recognize. It's not the one she brought to the shop that day."

They could all hear the edginess in her tone.

"What's she doing?" Val asked Gemma.

"She's backing up," Gemma answered.

Everyone was silent for a moment, and EVERYONE heard the loud revving of an engine.

"Gem," Chibs yelled. "Hit the gas, Love, hit the gas. She's gonna ram you."

Jax was already running to his bike, the others following, and Mouse and her sisters in the Honda Civic.

"I can't!" Gemma snapped, now terrified. "There are cars coming!"

"Honk as loud as you can Ma, just lay on the horn." Jax shouted. "We're coming."

Gemma laid on the horn, and inched forward, hoping oncoming traffic would stop. Her car was moving when Tara rammed into the back of it. Val screamed as the sound of crunching metal echoed along with the boom of the impact. The hit pushed the car out into the intersection. They were somewhat fortunate that Gemma's horn had started slowing the traffic down, but a Ford F150 slammed into the driver side front bumper, smashing it to hell, and sending the car spinning. Unfortunately for Tara, her car was also hit, and it was sent spinning and crashing into a light pole.

Gemma had hit her head on the side window, but she had to check on Val. She could hear Val crying and swung her eyes over to the blonde. Val must have hit her head on the windshield, because there was some blood that was trickling down from her hairline. Val was in a panic.

"No, no, no, my baby, what if she killed our baby!" she sobbed. A man had exited his vehicle and had moved to help Gemma and Val.

"Everything is going to be okay, Ladies," he said calmly. "The police and EMTs are on their way. I'm a doctor, I work in Lodi. How are you both feeling?"

"I'm so scared," Val told him. "I'm pregnant."

His eyes did widen slightly at that, and he reached in putting his hand on hers. "My name is Mark. I want you to focus on calming down. That is the best thing for your baby right now, okay?" Once Val had nodded, he looked at Gemma, "How are you?"

"I hit my head, and I'm sure tomorrow my body is going to tell me all about it, but right now, I'm more worried about Valeria and my grandbaby."

The sound of motorcycles split the air at the same time sirens could be heard. Jax pulled to a stop in the middle of the wreckage and began heading straight for Val and his Mom.

Hale got out of his squad car, "What the hell did you do, Teller?" he snapped, automatically thinking it was the Club's fight.

Before Jax could respond, half a dozen people who had either been involved, narrowly avoided being involved, or had seen the accident started correcting the Deputy Sheriff.

"Officer, it wasn't that man, he just got here, it was the woman in that car," an older woman said pointing at the car Tara was still in.

"That woman backed up, revved her engine, and purposely hit those other two women." A man said.

"Dude, that chick tried to push this car into the oncoming traffic. Not cool." This came from a teen, and his friends who backed him up.

One of the girls with him nodded. "Yeah, she just sat there behind them staring at them, and then she put her car in reverse. This lady obviously figured out what was happening because she started blasting her horn and pushing forward hoping people would stop."

Jax had decided to leave Hale to the bystanders. He rushed to the vehicle, "Ma, Val, are yall okay."

Dr. Mark scooted over, and made room for the blonde man. "And is this Daddy?" he asked Val, maintaining a soothing tone.

"Yes. Jax, I'm so scared," she told him, but she continued to try to stay calm like the doctor had told her.

Jax was crouched next to Dr. Mark, and looked at his mother. "Ma?" his heart was going a mile a minute. The two most important women in his life.

Gemma smiled at him. "I'm okay, Baby. And this nice doctor from Lodi is helping."

Mouse was heading towards Tara's vehicle, her sisters trying to catch up to her. David had just gotten Tara out of the vehicle. She had suffered no injuries. "Let me tell you something right now, Bitch," Mouse shrieked. "If my sister loses their baby, nothing on this earth will save you. Nothing!" Then she turned her gaze onto Hale. "You'd better be arresting her for assault, assault with a deadly weapon, and attempted murder, along with whatever else petty little thing you want. Or I will bring the feds down on your head so fast you won't have time to say MinuteDick."

"Baby?" Tara asked.

"That's fucking right," Sam spat, "Val and Jax are having a baby, and you just tried to kill Val, Gemma, and their baby."

The EMT's had arrived and they were busy checking on Gemma and Val, and already telling them they were taking the ladies to the hospital to be safe. Head wounds were nothing to ignore.

Tara, shocked everyone. She began screaming, and started to rush the EMT helping Val. "You Bitch! You stole him! You stole both of them! They're mine! MINE! I'll kill you, I'll fucking kill you."

Hale grabbed her by the shoulders and swung her around to face the side of her car. He started putting her in handcuffs, and reading her the Miranda Warning.

Jax just stayed with Val the whole time. He didn't give another thought to Tara in that instant, nor did he remember he'd parked his bike in the intersection. All that mattered were Val, their baby, and his mother. He knew his brothers would take care of everything else.

He rode in the ambulance and held Val's hand. "I love you," he whispered. "I love you so much. I'm sorry."

"What are you sorry for?" Val asked.

"Because… it's because of me. You're hurt because of me."

"No, Baby," she told him. "That's all on her. She might have wanted you, but she chose to do this. Not your fault at all."

"Everything is going to be fine," Gemma told them both, as she held an ice pack to her head, while lying on one of the ambulance gurneys. "We're going to get checked out, and they're going to say everyone is doing great, and baby is fine."

Both of the women were looked over at the hospital, and Gemma was released and told to come back if she continued to have headaches, dizziness, nausea, and everything that goes with that. Val they spent more time with because not only were they checking her out, but they also wanted to monitor the baby.

To Val it felt like everyone was in her room waiting, and it made her feel incredibly loved. The door to the room opened and Abel's doctor, Dr. Namid walked in.

He grinned at everyone. "Well, you're taking Abel away and giving me another one, heh?"

"Oh, you're stuck with Abel too, doc," Jax told the doctor. "And we're hoping this one will be healthier and not come out so early."

"Well, I want to do an Ultrasound, but honestly I think everything is just fine." The doctor prepared everything and then spread the gel on Val's still flat tummy. He put the wand on her belly, and pointed to a dark splotch, "There's baby." Suddenly the room was filled with a rhythmic thudding. "And there's baby's heartbeat."

"That's our baby," Jax asked, never having gone through this with Wendy.

"It is indeed. And Baby sounds great. Everything looks great. I'm going to let you go home. But if anything feels strange, anything at all. I want you to come directly to the ER, alright?"

Val nodded her agreement. She was a little choked up at hearing their baby.

It didn't take long to get discharged, and then they were on their way to the Clubhouse. They needed to be back at the hospital the next day in the early afternoon to pick up Abel. Sam, Jax and Val rode back with Mouse in her Civic, and the other two girls rode with their men.

Sam burst into tears on the way home. "Sam?" Val asked, putting her hand on her sister's shoulder. Sam had ridden shotgun. "Are you okay?"

"No! What if she had really hurt you all? She could have! Trying to push you into traffic. Holy fuck, how crazy is that bitch." Sam sobbed, "What if something had happened to the baby?"

"Just what if's Sam." Mouse told her. "What ifs for the past, are pointless. It's like saying, what if I had won that lottery? Val, Gemma, and our Baby are okay. But you know who's not going to be okay? That crazy bitch. I will call in every favor I've ever earned to make sure she suffers worse than the fiery pits of hell."


	24. Chapter 24

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

989898989898

The next morning it was obvious that both Gemma and Val were sore from the car collision. They all knew how fortunate they'd been, though. It could have been so much worse. Val felt herself getting excited as the time to go pick up Abel drew closer.

Wayne Unser had come out and asked Gemma and Val questions about what had happened the day before. He told them that currently Tara wasn't being offered bail. The judge and attorneys wanted her to have a psych evaluation before bail was determined. Mouse had listened to this, and turned around, leaving the room. She hadn't mentioned a word about it since.

When Jax said it was time to go to the hospital, Val about jumped out of her skin. She made sure to have a completely set up diaper bag, the car seat, a baby sling, and a few extra blankets. Sam looked at her like she was crazy, but Jax just smiled and kissed her. He thought her OCD about being extra prepared was pretty fucking adorable.

Dr. Namid met them and took them to a room, and a nurse brought Abel in so Val and Jax could change him, and get him ready to go home. Val got him ready in no time at all, and it was the first time she thanked the Home for giving her that experience of caring for little ones. The whole thing took less than an hour, and they were walking out of the hospital, Abel in his carseat.

Gemma had arranged a party at Jax's house, Val had to laugh at the second party in two days, but she, Jax and Abel would be staying there that night, their bags already in the trunk of the car Jax and Val had purchased together.

Val had been a little nervous. She'd never made a purchase like that with a man. Everything had been on her own, with Viv, or with her sisters. But the car title had both names on it.

The party was in full swing. It wasn't anything wild, just the Club, and the girls. Abel had barely spent any time in his crib, bassinet or baby swing. Everyone was taking their turns at holding him. He didn't seem to mind.

When Jax saw that Val was busy with Abel and Gemma, he pulled her four sisters aside. "Look, we have to do this quick, because I don't know how long she'll be occupied. I want to marry, Val," the girls began bouncing. "I've been trying to come up with the best way to ask. I already have the ring. Do you think she'd like it if I proposed during your concert at the festival this weekend?" he asked hesitantly.

"That would be awesome." Mouse kept her squeal quiet.

Sam was nodding. "She'd love that, Jax."

"You asking her in front of all our fans. Professing your love so publicly," Toni wiped a tear away. "It would mean the world to her. It means the world to us that you would do that."

"And that you accept all of us so well," Kes added.

"I love all you girls," he shrugged. "I never had little sisters until you all showed. I love it. But Val, I can't live without her. She's the air I breathe."

"Tell her that when you do it," Toni told him. "We'll help you make it happen."

Jax smiled, feeling relieved. "Thanks."

When it was time for bed, Jax found Val in Abel's nursery, staring down at him while he slept, a soft smile on her face. He walked over to her and wrapped his hands around her waist. Being there, in the house, it was so quiet compared to the Clubhouse. Peaceful, and it made him think he should have brought her to the house before now.

They weren't playing anymore. Not that he had been playing before, but, the relationship hadn't settled into a permanent foundation. It had almost been like they'd been living in a frat house, a constant party. Every step forward they took let him know he was making the right decision.

"He's so beautiful," Val murmured. "I'm a little scared."

Jax rested his chin on her shoulder. "Of what."

"I've never lived with anyone other than my sisters, or Aunt Viv, since I was eight. What if you hate living with me?"

Jax smiled. "Darlin, we've been living together since you started living in my room at the Clubhouse. Are there going to be times we get on each other's nerves? Sure. Are there going to be times we fight? Definitely. We'll work through it."

Val turned in his arms. "'Good point, Mr. Teller. I think this little man might be a sleep for a little while. Why don't we make use of that time, and you point out the amazing qualities of our new bed?"

Jax swept her up into his arms, a wide grin on his face, and she started giggling. "Thought you'd never ask."

98989898

The next morning, the couple packed up a few things and headed over to the Clubhouse. There were a few things in the garage Jax wanted to finish up since they'd be leaving for the festival on Thursday morning, and the girls were going to practice. Mouse and Vinnie were babysitting, unless Gemma managed to claim him. Abel was a very in demand little man.

When they got there, Donna was there with Vinnie and Mouse, and it made Val laugh. She'd brought Kenny and Ellie with her, and so Mouse and Vinnie were playing with them too.

The girls got to work. They didn't have much time until the fest, and they wanted to be prepared.

Val was up first, and she wasn't playing for this one.

(V) I stare at the girl in the mirror  
Tee-shirt, torn up jeans, no beauty queen  
But the way that you see me  
You get underneath me  
And all my defenses just fall away  
Fall away

(V) I am beautiful with you  
(A) Even in the darkest part of me  
(V) I am beautiful with you  
(A) Make it feel the way it's supposed to be  
(V) You're here with me  
(V) Just show me this and I'll believe  
I am beautiful with you

I stand naked beside you now  
No walls to hide behind  
So here I am, you see all of my scars  
Still here you are  
I bare my soul and I'm not afraid  
Not afraid

I am beautiful with you  
(A) Even in the darkest part of me  
(V) I am beautiful with you  
(A) Make it feel the way it's supposed to be  
(V) You're here with me  
(A) Just show me this and I'll believe  
(V) I am beautiful with you

I've been the strong one for so long  
But I was wrong  
Doesn't make you weak if you needed someone  
I'm not holding back and I know what I want

I am beautiful with you  
I am beautiful with you  
You want for myself  
Look at me at no one else  
I am beautiful with you

I am beautiful with you  
Even in the darkest part of me  
I am beautiful with you  
Make it feel the way it's supposed to be  
You're here with me  
Just show me this and I'll believe  
I am beautiful with you

They went back and worked on the song a few times. The guys couldn't understand what they were finding wrong, but they were all being picky.

"Are we going to do Apocalyptic now, so Jax can hear it, or are we waiting until we're doing it at the festival?" Sam asked with a grin.

"We should do it now," Kes said, her sticks lightly tapping at the snare. Kes rarely sat still when she was at her drums.

"I'm fine with practicing now." Val wondering how Jax would take the song.

(V) I wear my nine-inch heels when we go to bed  
I paint the color of my lips blood red  
I get so animal like never before  
So you press play and I hit record

'Cause we're dysfunctional physical  
Always slamming doors  
You're a bitch, throwing fits  
Always waging wars  
Me and you,  
Sad but true  
We're not us anymore  
But there's still one thing we're good for

(A) I'll give you one last night  
So make it twisted  
Give you one last shot, go on and hit it  
Give you one last time to make me miss it  
Baby, love me apocalyptic  
Come on!

(V) Give me a red hand print right across my ass  
I'm leaving scratches up and down your back  
Throw me against the wall, bite me on my neck  
Like end of the world, break-up sex

'Cause we're dysfunctional physical  
Always slamming doors  
You're a bitch, throwing fits  
Always waging wars  
Me and you,  
Sad but true  
We're not us anymore  
But there's still one thing we're good for

(A) I'll give you one last night  
So make it twisted  
Give you one last shot,  
Go on and hit it  
Give you one last time  
To make me miss it  
Baby, love me apocalyptic

I'll give you one last night  
So make it twisted  
Give you one last shot,  
Go on and hit it  
Give you one last time  
To make me miss it  
Baby, love me apocalyptic

(V) Oh  
'Cause no one does it better  
No one knows me better  
Oh  
'Cause nothing lasts forever  
Nothing lasts forever  
It's now or never

(A) I'll give you one last night  
So make it twisted  
Give you one last shot,  
Go on and hit it  
Give you one last time  
To make me miss it  
Baby, love me apocalyptic  
Come on

Baby, love me apocalyptic  
Come on  
(V) Baby, love me apocalyptic

Jax had come out of the garage as the girls performed and when they were done, Val looked over at him with a smile. "That was the song she wanted you to do a video for?"

"Mmmmm, yep," Mouse responded from where she was making faces at Abel, who they'd put noise blocking headphones on. Mouse had taken a picture. Abel at Mommy's Band Practice.

"Yeah, I don't think so," he scowled and walked back into the garage, causing the girls to giggle.

By the time it was late afternoon the girls had called it quits and were just talking as Abel got passed around. There had been a short time where he took a nap, laying on Uncle Tig's chest, and Vinnie had taken a bunch of photos of that.

Tig and Vinnie seemed to have hashed a few things out, and they both seemed much more at ease. The touching had increased, and it seemed like Tig just wanted to touch Vinnie in some way, often. The girl didn't seem to mind.

The next few days passed in much the same fashion, and when it came time to head to their concert stop, Santa Monica, the Sons going were Half Sack, Jax, Juice, Tig, Kozik, Sledge, Opie and Happy. Donna, Vinnie and Gemma were also joining the ladies.

The girls had been talking to Chaos Party's manager, Toby, and he was introducing them to one of his co-workers over the weekend to see if that would be a fit. It was the same management company, so they shouldn't have any problems collaborating, if desired.

Since there were so many ladies on the tour bus, the men, with the exception of Half Sack, who was driving the tour bus, all drove their dyna's. this was a longer drive than their last festival, but it was relatively peaceful. And when they got there, and were told where to park, once more they were next to their friends Chaos Party. What was slightly surprising to the guys was that Stacy's band, Ill Puppets, was on their other side. All five girls shared a grin. They didn't want her to find out they'd pulled strings, but Stacy and hers had put in a lot of hard work, and now that the girls understood what her problem with them had been, well, things were only going up.

The girls introduced everyone who hadn't met Chaos Party the previous time. Jax smirked to see Miranda's car parked next to the bus this time. That Max had his hands full, Jax understood, since he did too. Val put on the baby sling and got Abel all snuggled in and comfy. As soon as she stepped outside everyone flocked to see him.

She had been worried that because of the accident, she would be too sore to carry him around the way she had wanted to. Oh, Val was sure the others would want a turn, but… she wanted to take care of him. He was hers. As soon as Jax had asked her to be his mama, he had become hers.

All of the ladies decided to go around and look at the booths that were open. There were still some open and empty spots that would be filled the next day, as some vendors weren't coming until that Friday. Fans wouldn't be admitted until Friday, so currently it was other bands, and a few celebrities wandering around.

Jax walked with Val, holding her hand, and she had Abel in the sling over one of her shoulders, and crossing over her chest. As she walked, the sling swayed gently, and when he wasn't sleeping, Jax could hear Abel gurgling happily.

Jax felt so content. He and his family were walking around the festival, with another on the way. He looked down at Val who was talking to Miranda and laughing about something. He saw movement on his other side out of the corner of his eye and turned to see Ike walking next to him.

Ike started asking questions about his dyna, and Jax found himself deep in conversation with the drummer.

Halfway through their walk through the different booths, Gemma confiscated Abel. Val was pretty certain that Gemma wouldn't have him long, not with the current look in Miranda's eyes.

Val thought everything seemed pretty close to perfect. She hated to think it, because she didn't want to jinx anything, but how could she not? Her band was playing at a festival in Santa Monica. Her sisters had all found love and companionship. They had found a mother in Gemma. She had found Jax, and he fought for her. And she fought for him. He gave her Abel, and they had another on the way. Even if the perfection was only for a moment, she would take it. Some people never got that.


	25. Chapter 25

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

9898998

This festival was bigger than the previous one, so the signings, pictures and meet and greets took longer. When Jax would feel himself entering that zone of being tired of men touching Val, he would just step forward and brush his hand over her shoulder, or hair. She didn't seem to mind, most times she would just look at him and smile.

Val was tired. She was physically tired, and she was emotional, and she was tired of people she didn't know touching her. In the past she'd always put up with it, but right then she wanted to scream and punch someone. Jax would touch her on occasion, and she figured out it was when it was getting hard for him to deal with, but it also helped her. And it was Jax, unless they were in the middle of performing on stage, he could touch her anytime.

She made it through the meet, pictures and autographs, and knew if she didn't get out of there, and back on the bus, or even to their little area where it was just them and their friends, she was going to flip out.

Jax was worried as they left the roped off area, and Val was striding, not waiting for him, straight back to their bus. He caught up easily, and just followed her. His mom and Miranda had taken Abel somewhere, so the bus was empty, and Val went straight in, so he followed her there too. She was standing in the middle, her back to him. "Darlin', are you alright?" he asked walking right up behind her.

Val turned around, burst out crying and flung herself into Jax's arms.

"Shhh," he murmured. "What's going on? Do you hurt? Did someone say or do something?" he wrapped his arms around her tightly.

"I just couldn't take it anymore. People, strangers everywhere, touching me, in my space. It was too much," she sobbed. "Closed off, tired, mad, and I couldn't do anything about it because they're our fans, ya know? Everything they've done for us, I can't treat them badly. And I don't want to, I just needed space. I'm so tired."

"Why don't we take a nap?" he suggested. I understand how you feel, and I know that unless someone does something inappropriate, you wouldn't treat anyone badly." Jax had maneuvered her over to their bunk. "So let's take a nap, and my mom and Miranda should be back with our boy when we wake up. Okay?"

She nodded and climbed in, with him following. Val went to sleep quickly with Jax holding onto her.

9898989

Kes and Kozik were walking slowly, enjoying each other's company.

"Kes, what made you pick me?" he asked. Kozik had lived a hard life. The Marines, drugs, and then earning his way into the club. He was glad she'd picked him, but he didn't always understand it. He could have accepted that she just wanted to hook up. He'd had his share of those, but Kes had stayed.

Kes looked at him. He was so handsome, she didn't understand why he would be so unsure of himself. The epitome of a Son of Anarchy; tough, smart, loyal, clever, observant, and sometimes so smug she wanted to punch him in the face. She had learned how to speak Kozik quickly. Like the time he'd been looking at the picture that had been sent to Val of Jax with another woman. When Kozik had stared at it for such a long time, normally that would have pissed her off. The Sons might be possessive and jealous bastards, but so were the Daughters of Darkness plus Mouse… she was a Daughter, she just didn't perform. She knew him by then though, and she knew he was working something out. He thought. He thought about things for a long damned time before he did anything or said anything.

"You are the only man I've ever met that was trying to both manage to get me in the ring, like I wanted, and to keep me safe. You wanted me to be happy, so letting me fight wasn't a question for you. You, Herman Kozik, were just trying to make it happen. I couldn't not pick you," she told him, and stopped walking to look at him. "You made me fall in love with you."

Kozik blinked at her, and was silent for a moment, but not nearly as long as she'd expected. "I love you too."

She nodded, smiling. "I know. You wouldn't have put up with nearly half of our crazy shit if you didn't."

98989898898

Sam and Happy were walking, and he had his arm around her. Sam wanted funnel cake, so they were making their way to get her funnel cake. Thinking about it, she might want two. When she explained that to Happy, and explained that it made more sense to get two so they wouldn't have to come back later, he'd just smiled and kissed her forehead. She'd taken that as a yes. Max and Miranda were with them, walking slightly behind, and Max had chuckled through Sam's entire explanation, earning himself a slap to the arm by Miranda. Sam really like Miranda.

There was some murmuring off to her left, Happy was on her right. There was a group of teenage to early twenties boys making nasty comments about interracial dating. Sam didn't let it affect her. As if she cared what some small minded children thought. She was sadder for them really. It meant their parents had raised them to believe that shit. Crappy parents. Unfortunately, Happy and Miranda were NOT so ready to let it go. Max was like Sam, hell, when they'd dated they'd had to put up with that shit constantly, so he knew Sam's feelings on it. Not that he appreciated the comments, he just chose to follow her lead.

For a moment, Miranda thought they were going to have a confrontation, which was sort of exciting because she sort of wanted to punch that little bitch boy in front with the sneer who'd used THAT word about Sam. Okay, there was no sort of to it, she really, really, wanted to hit him.

Happy, with his ever present toothpick in his mouth, just turned his head and stared the boy in the eyes. Then he sort of grinned, only it wasn't the grin he gave Sam, or his friends. This grin was one that promised death, Miranda was impressed and thought she might try practicing that in the mirror. He smiled at the one boy, but all of the boys froze, and went silent. Finally the boy he'd been in eye contact with, looked away, and muttered a 'sorry', before turning and walking quickly away.

Sam rested her head on Hap's arm. Always taking care of her, from even the smallest threat. They reached the food booths and perked up. "I think I want a corndog before my funnel cakes," she told Happy. Happy just chuckled.

"That actually sounds really good," Miranda agreed. She knew that everyone had expected her and Sam not to get along since Sam had dated Max previously, but Miranda didn't care about that shit. Sam was sweet and awesome, and obviously the relationship had been over when she met Max since Max and Sam seemed more like siblings.

98989898

Gemma sat on one of the lawn chairs outside of the bus, and rocked Abel. He was so precious. She was so grateful he'd survived, and now, although he'd had a rough start in his life, everything looked brighter for him. Jax was more centered and stable than he'd been before Abel's birth. And happy. She couldn't forget how much happier he was.

When Tara Knowles had returned to Charming, Gemma had been horrified, just knowing that Tara would try to twist Jax up again. Then fortune had smiled upon them and brought them those five beautiful girls, and it was like Tara never existed. Not only that, they'd made so many of her boys happy. Including Happy. Gemma had never thought she'd see a day when Happy settled down, but he'd been wrapped around Sam's little finger from almost the moment he'd seen her. Just like Jax and Kozik. Just like Juice when Mouse showed up. Gemma was sure the boys didn't know that they'd been caught, but they had been. The Sons of Anarchy were entering into a whole new world. Gemma wondered if perhaps now should be the time Jax started making use of his father's manuscript. She'd asked him not to out of concern for what they would become.

The club hadn't been in any position to try to go legit. Now, they were moving towards change, it would make sense to incorporate those ideas that Jax had been so excited about. Clay would not be pleased. If she was honest with herself, he hadn't been pleased in a long time. That was part of the reason she'd come on this trip. She needed to get away from him for a few days. Every day it seemed he got angrier. There were still moments that he was the man she'd fallen in love with. Like when he'd talked to the girls and told them they were family. That had been HER Clay. But then later that night… Gemma rubbed her upper arm where he'd gripped it so tightly.

Toni startled Gemma out of her thoughts, and took a seat in the chair next to hers. Gemma smiled at her, and Toni returned the smile. She began speaking softly. "When I was six, I got sent to this foster home in a little suburb of Houston, Deer Park… the place really doesn't matter that much. I think it was the only foster home where I didn't get hit." Toni was silent for a moment. "But the dad there, he beat the shit out of his wife. Nowhere you could see, but eventually people noticed things. The ways her eyes shifted nervously when he was in the room. Or how she would jump if he made a loud noise. Eventually, he beat her bad enough that people found out. He got arrested and we got sent back to the Home. From what little I found out later, she took him back again, and two years later, he ended up beating her so bad he broke her neck. She's a quadriplegic now." 

"Christ," Gemma murmured.

"Gemma, we love Clay, but you've become our Mom." Toni stated. "We know the signs. We know he's hurting you. We just don't know how badly. We haven't told the men… they don't see anything they don't expect to see, although it's possible Kozik or Happy have noticed something."

Gemma almost cried. "He hasn't hit me." She almost added yet. "But sometimes he grabs my arm too tightly, or pushes me. He's more aggressive in bed. I don't know why. I don't understand why," Gemma murmured.

"He might not know either. Or maybe he feels like he's losing control of something." Toni shrugged. "It doesn't matter why he's doing it, not at the end of the day. You can't let it keep happening."

Gemma nodded. She knew that. She did.

"Because eventually, he's going to do more. He's going to seriously hurt you. You need to talk to Jax and the other men. Not one of them would allow this to continue."

"Talk to us about what?"

Gemma startled, looking over to see Jax and Val stepping off the bus. Val was looking at her with knowing, compassionate eyes. Her son looked seriously confused and worried. Tears slipped from her eyes.

"Ma, talk to us about what?" Jax repeated, the tears making him anxious. Behind him, some of the others were joining them. And off in another direction, a few more of their group arrived.

Gemma had forgotten they were grilling out. Val walked past Jax, and moved to Gemma, taking her hand. "If you'd like I can take the others away, so you can talk to the Sons."

Gemma just shook her head, and gripped Val's hand. "Not necessary. Miranda, will you hold Abel?"

Miranda moved forward and took the baby, going to sit quietly in a chair, Max taking a chair next to her.

"Baby," Gemma began weakly. "I didn't want you to know. I didn't want you to think I was weak."

Jax moved and knelt in front of his mother. "Ma, what's going on?"

Gemma couldn't find the words. Vinnie did. "Clay's been hurting her," Vinnie said, and moved away from Tig. He loved Clay; would do just about anything for the man, and she didn't know how Tig would take this.

Tig stared at her. No. Clay wouldn't hurt Gemma. Clay worshipped Gemma. Why would Vinnie say that?

Jax went cold all over. "Is it true?" he asked his mother, who was now crying.

"It is true," Kozik murmured. "I thought I was imagining shit."

Happy pulled Sam closer, and kissed her head. She looked at him, and he knew she'd known. Hadn't he known as well? Or at least suspected? Fuck.

Juice sighed heavily. He hadn't known, but he trusted the women.

Opie was holding Donna. "Jesus, we should have known."

Tig was still shaking his head in disbelief. It made him so angry. Why would they… why would Vinnie…

"Yes, it's true," Gemma finally said, and was surprised to feel a little better. "He hasn't hit me yet, but he pushes me, grabs my arm leaving bruises, and swings me around by it. The day before we came out here, he grabbed me and threw me into the wall. He just gets so angry." Gemma took a deep breath, and rolled up her sleeve to show the large bruises wrapped around her upper arm, in the shape of a hand. "I think it's time to put your father's manuscript to use. He'll be angry, but it's time."

Jax stared at the bruises and rage filled him. That bastard had put his hands on Jax's mother. He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up to find Val staring down at him. Everything was in her eyes; love, compassion, understanding, retribution. His warrior woman. "I wish you'd told me when it began," he told his so very strong mother.

Tig stared at the bruises. It was true. Jesus Christ, it was true. Of course it was coming from the girls so of course it was true. Clay was hurting Gemma; the woman who really had taken care of all of them for years. And Tig knew how it went. Right now Clay might not be hitting, but it would go there. For now, he chose to focus on the second part of Gemma's revelations. "What manuscript?" he asked numbly.

Jax shared a look with his mother for several moments before he began to speak. He didn't even care that outsiders were there. The girls had made these people family, and they'd already assisted in getting rid of a problem or two. Hell, they might as well be Prospects. He explained everything dealing with John Teller's manuscript. And the other Son's listened. They knew they'd have to fill Bobby and Chibs in later. When he finished speaking there was silence.

"It's none of my business," Miranda began.

Tig was the one to actually interrupt her, "You're Sons' family now, I'd say it's your business." He moved over, pulling Vinnie into his arms. It would be hard… going legit… all his life he'd been a biker, or a delinquent. But if they went clean, it would make everything safer for Vinnie. It would make everything safer for all the girls.

Miranda gave him a brief smile. "Your Dad had some brilliant ideas, but you're still going to have to bring in income." 

"We have our share in Luann's porn studio," Juice offered.

"I have an idea of something you could do that would earn an income, and be completely legal."

Everyone looked at her.

"One, you currently have a very popular band in front of you that does not have management. Gemma would be brilliant for that. Two, you have access to a studio. Maybe it's time for DOD to start putting out some videos. And if you include all of their merch and downloads, that too is additional income."

"We would love to put out a few videos," Max added.

"The final idea that I have currently is opening a club. Like a dance club, but that has nights where you have live music. That benefits you, and whatever band is playing."

Everyone was staring at the little brunette. Tig tilted his head, "What is it you said you did for a living?"


	26. AN2

A/N:

I need to give everyone a head's up on my story updates. They are going to be slow to come.

On February 21, 2018, my younger sister killed herself. It has been an extremely painful time in my life, and I don't know when I will be able to write. I am sorry for that. Right now I'm just trying to survive, and trying to make sure my family, her husband, and her boys survive.

I will write as I can.


End file.
